Naruko Uzumaki: To The Victor goes the Spoils
by SeerKing
Summary: Naruko has just graduated from the Ninja Academy after defeating Mizuki. She discovers that she now owns everything he did because of a little known Clan Law. Good thing too because someone just blew up her house... Yuri Harem. Weapon Mistress & Chakra Chain Naruko.
1. Chapter 1: The Day After

**Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masaki Kishimoto, not me.**

"Dattebayo!" -normal speech

'_Dobe_' -Thoughts

'{_Shannaro!}_' -Inner Sakura

"**Ningen" **-Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Speech

'**Brat'** -Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Thoughts

"_**Kage Bunshin!**_" -Ninjutsu/Genjutsu/Taijutsu move.

**Chapter 1: The Day After**

**Konohagakure no Sato, 12 Years after the Kyuubi Attack**

Uzumaki Naruko walked down the road to the Hokage Tower humming slightly. She felt like she was walking on air. Finally, after three years of consecutive failures, she had graduated from the Konoha Ninja Academy and was a kunoichi.

A slight frown crossed her face. Just yesterday she had failed the graduation exam again, an exam she now knew had been rigged by the traitor Mizuki so there was no way she could pass. Afterwards, Mizuki had come up and told her about a special make-up exam she could take. All she had to do was infiltrate the Hokage Tower, steal a specific scroll, learn a jutsu from it and presto, she could graduate.

The infiltration had been easy as the ANBU patrols were far too set in their patrol patterns and she had slipped though during a small gap when none of the ANBU could see her.

She giggled when she remembered what happened next. Her Ji-chan had caught her as she was about to take the scroll, so she hit him with her original ninjutsu, the anti-pervert _**Orioke no Jutsu (Sexy Jutsu)**_ and knocked him out, blood gushing from his nostrils as he left consciousness behind.

When she had reached the clearing, she had unrolled the scroll, only to discover that the first jutsu in it was a clone jutsu, her very worst ninjutsu. It had taken her two hours to learn the damn jutsu and she had been very tired afterwards.

Not long after she had mastered the jutsu, she had been discovered by Iruka-sensei, her other class teacher. He had just figured out Mizuki's plan when he pushed Naruko out of the way of a barrage of kunai and shuriken. He even took an Fūma Shuriken to the back in order to protect her. Mizuki had then told her why she was hated by the villagers.

She was the container of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox that the Fourth Hokage had sacrificed his life to defeat when it attacked the village twelve years ago.

A soft smile graced Naruko's face as she remembered him telling Mizuki that she would never act like Mizuki and was not the demon fox. Those words had given her the courage to stand up once again and face down Mizuki.

She had used her newly learned jutsu, the _**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Jutsu)**_ and had beaten the man into a near unrecognisable pulp. Then Iruka-sensei had given her his own hitai-ate (Ninja Headband) and graduated her.

Today, she was going to see her Ji-chan and have a talk with him about the damn fox. He had sent an ANBU to ask her to come as soon as possible. She was glad he had chosen a female ANBU as she had just gotten out of the shower.

'_Ok, that's one thing to ask Ji-chan about: why the hell ANBU doesn't just knock on my door like everyone else instead of breaking in all the time._' Naruko thought to herself as she approached the entrance to the Hokage Tower.

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**Hokage's Office**

Sarutobi Hiruzen, Sandaime Hokage, Shinobi no Kami and surrogate grandfather to one Uzumaki Naruko, sat at his desk and wrestled with the once and future enemy of all Kage -paperwork.

He was dressed in the white robes and ceremonial hat of the Hokage and had a weary, burdened look about him that had nothing to do with his advancing years.

He just finished stamping 'denied' on yet another request to have Naruko exiled from the village when his secretary let him know that 'the demon bitch' had arrived.

"Thank you, Maya-san." Sarutobi said, barely keeping his anger in check. "Also, please clear out your desk. You are fired."

His now ex-secretary stomped out grumbling under her breath and let Naruko in.

Sarutobi smiled at his surrogate granddaughter fondly. Despite her use of _that_ jutsu, her visits usually brightened his days considerably.

Naruko was slightly shorter than most girls were at her age, which Sarutobi attributed to slight malnutrition. Her eyes were a bright blue and glinted with barely concealed mischief. She had three small scar-like marks on each cheek and a button nose. Her hair was a strange mix of both her father and mother. It was mostly blond like Minato's hair, but had red highlights mixed in like Kushina's hair and it seemed like the more she grew up, the more red appeared in her hair. Currently it was in a ponytail that stretched to the middle of her back. Around her neck was her pair of goggles.

"Ji-chan!" Naruko called exuberantly as she sat down on the chair in front of his desk.

"Naruko-chan." Sarutobi replied, restraining his instinctive impulse to wince at the kill-me-now orange jumpsuit she wore. Seriously, how this girl managed to infiltrate the Hyuuga Estate and replace all their underwear with pink thongs whilst wearing that thing baffled him.

"Ji-chan, why do the ANBU always break into my apartment?" Naruko asked bluntly.

Sarutobi let the wince show this time. "They do that?"

"Yup. The ANBU you sent to fetch me this morning broke my window lock while I was in the shower and scared the crap out of me when I got out." Naruko said with a scowl.

"I see." Sarutobi replied. "That was Hebi (Snake) today, wasn't it?"

"Yup."

"I'll have a word with her." Sarutobi promised, "But for now…I suspect that you have some questions about your…tenant."

Naruko's face fell slightly at the mention of the Kyuubi, but nodded. "Hai, Ji-chan. Mizuki-_teme_-" she spat the traitor's name out as if it was rotten food, "-said that I **was** the fox, that all those deaths twelve years ago were my fault-"

Sarutobi interrupted her furiously. "NO! You are Uzumaki Naruko, Genin of Konoha and _container_ of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, not the beast itself!" He said firmly, making a mental note to have Ibiki and Anko have a…_discussion_ with the former chunin about mentally tormenting his surrogate granddaughter.

"O-OK Ji-chan." Naruko replied, looking slightly relieved, "But then…why do the villagers hate me so much?"

"Because, to be blunt, they don't have the slightest clue about what they are talking about." Sarutobi told her bluntly. Seeing the blank look on his audiences' face, he expanded on his explanation. "When the Yondaime Hokage sealed the fox into you, he used an esoteric and difficult branch of the shinobi arts called Fūinjutsu. Using Fūinjutsu, anything is possible as long as you have the right formula. Unfortunately, as most shinobi prefer to use Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, Taijutsu or Bukijutsu (Weapons Jutsu) rather than a complex and hard to understand art like Fūinjutsu, no-one could explain precisely what the Yondaime had done."

Sarutobi held up a hand as Naruko looked as if she were about to interject. After she settled down again, he continued.

"What further complicated the matter were the exact seals he used to seal the Kyuubi. There are at _least_ three and I suspect there are more. The first was the _**Shiki **__**Fūin**__** (Reaper Death Seal)**_. The second was the _**Hakke **__**Fūin **__**(Eight Trigrams Seal)**_ and the last one that I know of is the _**Shishō Fūin (Four Symbols Seal)**_. Even the least complicated of these seals is way over the heads of an untrained civilian, so they act as humans often do: distrust what they don't understand."

Naruko's face was an embodiment of anger. "And the shinobi?" She demands, "There had to have been _someone_ who understood Fūinjutsu other than Yondaime-sama!"

"There was and is." Sarutobi acknowledged. "My own student, Jiraya of the Sannin, is now Konoha's last remaining Seal Master. Unfortunately, Jiraya-kun is rarely in Konoha because he is in charge of our spy network, which requires him to be on the move on a frequent basis. That meant he wasn't in Konoha during the attack of the Kyuubi and, sadly, he couldn't tell the idiot civilians how they were disrespecting both the wishes AND the abilities of the Yondaime with every cry for your death."

"Great. Just great." Naruko said bitterly, "So no matter what I do, I'm screwed." Her eyes shone with tears she refused to shed.

"I would have to disagree with you there Naruko-chan." Sarutobi said gently, "Iruka's parents died during the Day of the Kyuubi. He now sees you for who you are. Ichiraku Teuchi and Ayame have known the truth of what you contain for years, and they see you for who you are as well. As for me, I have never seen you as _anything other _than who you are."

Naruko scoffed softly. "Four people out of an entire village?"

"The longest journeys often begin with the smallest of steps." Sarutobi told the depressed kunoichi. "Keep persevering and I don't doubt that you will become the Hokage."

"Do…do you really believe I can do it, Ji-chan?" Naruko asked in a small voice, her eyes locked onto his own desperately.

"I hold no doubts." Sarutobi replied softly.

Naruko wiped at her eyes for a moment then gave him one of her trademark foxy grins. "Thanks Ji-chan." she said in a voice more like her own.

Sarutobi waved the thanks off. Privately, he was very relieved. By the looks of things, he had nipped that line of self-doubt in the bud just in time. The last thing the girl needed was an existential crisis on top of the pressures of being a new genin.

"Now, to return to the seals…the seals are designed to allow you to draw upon the chakra of the Kyuubi and use it as your own." Sarutobi told Naruko solemnly.

"WHAT?" Naruko yelped, disgust on her face, "If I use _that_ chakra, the villagers will hate me even more!"

"Ah, well, there is no way for you to access the chakra at the moment." Sarutobi replied.

"Eh?" Naruko responded with a quizzical expression on her face, "But you just said-"

"At the moment, the seal is fully tightened." Sarutobi explained, "It only permits you to access the foxes' chakra when you truly believe your life to be in mortal danger."

"Oh…" Naruko seemed taken aback.

"Once I believe you have sufficient maturity and skills, I'll get Jiraya-kun to teach you how to harness the power of the fox." Sarutobi told her.

"I am skilled!" Naruko protested with a cute pout, "I learned the _**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_!"

"Yes, an impressive feat, learning a B-Rank Kinjutsu in only two hours." Sarutobi acknowledged, "The ease with which you infiltrated the Hokage Tower was equally impressive. I must ask you to write down how you did it. If you do, I'll pay you for the successful completion of a B-Rank infiltration mission, in addition to your A-Rank Mission of Retrieving the Forbidden Scroll of Seals."

"Hell yeah!" Naruko cheered, "Two high ranking missions before I'm even out of the Academy! Beat that, Sasuke-teme!"

"On the other hand," Sarutobi continued, "You are neither able to perform the basic _**Bunshin no Jutsu (Clone Jutsu) **_at all, nor can you use any genjutsu. Although the last is an unfortunate side affect of housing your tenant, the first is solvable."

"Eh? How? That damn jutsu was the bane of my life!" Naruko asked, her eyes boring into her grandfatherly figure.

'_This must have been what I looked like when I asked Minato-kun how he finished his paperwork so quickly._' Sarutobi chuckled to himself.

"Naruko-chan, please perform the _**Bunshin no Jutsu**_. If my suspicions are correct, I will be able to help you." He told the exited girl, who drooped slightly at the request.

"Please don't laugh OK, Ji-chan?" she mumbled as she ran through the seals for the basic clone jutsu taught at the academy.

"_**Bunshin no Jutsu**_!" she called as a puff of smoke appeared next to her, which revealed a sick and unhealthy looking clone of Naruko.

Sarutobi nodded. "Just as I thought."

"What? What is it-dattebayo?"

"You are suffering the same problem the rest of the Uzumaki Clan suffered from; your chakra is so dense and powerful that attempting E and D-Rank Jutsu is incredibly difficult." Sarutobi explained, "I would suggest you use the same amount of chakra, but try to make as many clones as possible with that chakra."

"OK! _**Bunshin no Jutsu**_!" Naruko called out again, this time filling the room with smoke. Once Sarutobi opened a window and dispersed the chakra smoke with an E-Rank Futon jutsu, _**Futon: Soyokaze (Wind-Style: Gentle Breeze)**_, the entire room was covered in Naruko clones.

'_Just like Kushina._' Sarutobi thought with a smile as Naruko started dancing in celebration of vanquishing her nemesis. Sarutobi then dispelled the illusory clones with a small chakra pulse.

"Naruko-chan, calm down please." Sarutobi called. Still grinning like a Cheshire cat, Naruko retook her seat.

"Now, that was an example of a little creative thinking in dealing with an obstacle." Sarutobi informed Naruko, "Regrettably, the next problem will be harder to fix."

Naruko's face fell slightly. "My Taijutsu." she whispered.

"Yes." Sarutobi told her bluntly. "I was watching the clearing last night when you took care of Mizuki. It was full of openings and incorrect stances. Who taught you your taijutsu?"

Naruko looked down and fiddled with the hem of her jacket. "Mizuki-teme." she replied quietly.

Sarutobi sighed. So, not only had Mizuki tricked and mentally tormented Naruko, he had tried ensure that she would be killed on her first C-Rank mission due to poor close combat skills.

Once again, Sarutobi made a note to have his two best interrogators _educate_ Mizuki in why you do _not_ piss off the Kami no Shinobi.

"Fortunately, I have decided that it is time for you to learn about your mother, Naruko-chan." Sarutobi told her, then braced for loud noises.

He wasn't disappointed there, as Naruko leapt to her feet and shrieked, "WHAT!" at the top of her voice. Given that her normal volume was just under a shout; her top volume was almost loud enough to be considered a high D-Rank Jutsu.

Wincing at the abuse his poor eardrums had just endured, Sarutobi attempted to calm Naruko down so he could explain everything to her.

Ten minutes later, Sarutobi finally managed to get her calm and sitting in her seat again.

"Now, this is your mothers file." Sarutobi gave the thin document into Naruko's trembling hands. She looked at it for a moment before taking a deep breath and opened it. She immediately noticed a very important fact about the file.

"This is a Shinobi Registration File!" Naruko exclaimed. She looked at the rank section. "Jonin? My mother was a Jonin?"

"Indeed." Sarutobi said. "Kushina was one of the few S-Rank Kunoichi this village has ever produced. She could give the Yondaime himself a hard time in a spar when he didn't use his _**Hiraishin no Jutsu (Flying Thunder God Jutsu)**_."

"Kushina." Naruko said, testing the unfamiliar name warily, "Uzumaki Kushina…my mother." A smile grew on her face as she looked at the picture in the file. A smiling woman with blood-red hair and deep blue eyes looked back at her.

A small section caught Naruko's eye.

Clan Status: _Yes. _

Village of Origin: _Uzushiogakure._

"I'm from a Clan?" Naruko asked, "Wait, Ji-chan, you mentioned that I had the same problems as the Uzumaki Clan had…"

"The Uzumaki were allies of Konoha for over fifty years." Sarutobi said, "They founded their own village on the Isle of Uzu not long after Konoha was founded and both villages prospered. The Shodaime Hokage, Senju Hashirama, even married an Uzumaki called Mito, who is your Great-Great Aunt I believe. All members of the Uzumaki Clan had immense stores of unusually dense chakra and had a lot of trouble with chakra control exercises as a result."

Naruko smiled at her similarity to her Clan, and then frowned. "You said 'had'. What happened?"

Sarutobi sighed. This was not going to be pretty.

"At the start of the Third Great Shinobi War, Kirigakure, Iwagakure and Kumogakure launched a surprise attack on Uzushiogakure. Only those who were not within Uzushiogakure during the attack survived. I'm sorry Naruko-chan." Sarutobi said softly.

Naruko's eyes dimmed. "My Clan…is gone? Wiped out?" She asked bleakly.

"I'm sorry to say so." Sarutobi confirmed. "However, the three attacking villages suffered horrendous casualties at the hands of the Uzumaki. Almost the entire village was related to the Uzumaki in some manner, so there were a lot of them. For every Uzumaki that fell, at least a dozen invaders fell at the same time. When the last sword was sheathed, a full three-quarters of the invading shinobi lay dead and dying among the ruins of Uzushiogakure. These casualties happened because Kiri, Iwa and Kumo gravely underestimated their foe and, in turn, these casualties, combined with the Yondaime Hokage's _**Hiraishin no Jutsu**_ allowed Konoha to emerge victorious."

"So, my Clan's sacrifice was one of the cause of Konoha's victory?" Naruko questioned. Sarutobi nodded. "Then why haven't we heard any of this in class? I know I'm no Sakura-chan, but I think I would have remembered mention of my own surname during a lesson, and I think my friends would have mentioned it as well."

Sarutobi smiled at her mention of friends. She had been friends with the Ino-Shika-Cho trio's children for years and was friendly with the Hyuuga Heiress as well.

He frowned. What she said was true. He distinctly remembered adding the history of Uzushiogakure and the Uzumaki Clan to the syllabus personally after the end of the War that had all but destroyed the once proud Clan.

"That…is an excellent question Naruko-chan. I'll look into it." Sarutobi said slowly, "Anyway, the shinobi forces certainly remember the Uzumaki Clan. We wear the Clan Symbol as a mark of friendship and remembrance. I even integrated the symbol into the Konoha Leaf symbol so that the Uzumaki would be impossible to forget."

Naruko grabbed the Uzumaki spiral that hung from her shoulder and held on to it tightly. After a moment, she whispered, "Arigato, Ji-chan."

"The Uzumaki deserve all I have done for them and more." Sarutobi said sincerely, "The reason I bring your family up is because they have their own taijutsu style. Not to mention their own kenjutsu style and Clan jutsu. I had originally intended to wait until you were a Chunin to even tell you about your mother's family, but with what happened with Mizuki, I decided that you deserve to inherit this early."

The young kunoichi's eyes were swimming with tears. "I…thank you," she rasped.

Sarutobi smiled gently as he got up and walked to a part of the wall that looked no different from the rest. His hands blurred as he hit sixteen points in a specific order in under ten seconds, causing a section of the wall to fall down, revealing a safe door. Placing his hand on the door, Sarutobi sent a pulse of his chakra through it. A series of clicks, clanks and whirring sounds came from within the door, which popped open.

Naruko craned her neck to see into the safe. The only things in the safe were three boxes. One Red, one Yellow and one Orange. They were about half the length of the Forbidden Scroll. Sarutobi took the red and orange boxes out before closing the safe again.

Sarutobi handed Naruko the boxes. After attempting to juggle them for a minute, Naruko made a pair of Shadow Clones to hold them.

"Don't open them until you're in your apartment." Sarutobi warned Naruko, who nodded. She knew that Clan Styles and Jutsu were protected by law, but most Ninja operated under the rule 'finder's keepers'.

BOOM!

A massive explosion bloomed in the village, causing a startled Naruko to shield the Hokage and draw a kunai by instinct. After a moment, Naruko lowered her guard when no further explosions came.

"ANBU!" Sarutobi called, prompting his four bodyguards to apparently teleport into the room. "Find out what and where that explosion was. Go!"

The ANBU vanished in puffs of smoke.

"I have got to learn how to do that." Naruko muttered to herself as she sheathed the kunai she had drawn.

"Catch." Sarutobi said and tossed Naruko a standard sized scroll. "That has the basics of the _**Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Jutsu)**_ on it. As a reward for your quick reflexes."

"YES!" Naruko cheered. She quickly deposited the scroll in one of her jackets many pockets. She jumped slightly as another ANBU appeared in a swirl of leaves.

"Inu (Dog)." The Hokage greeted the ANBU with a terse nod.

"Hokage-sama. The explosion originated at the building that Uzumaki-san used to live in. It is now merely rubble, with minor damage to the surrounding buildings and a few minor injuries to passing civilians." Inu reported briskly.

"No…my home…" Naruko said hollowly, falling to her knees as she learned her home of seven years was gone.

Sarutobi dismissed Inu and knelt next to Naruko. "Don't worry Naruko-chan. None of your stuff was in the house when it exploded."

"Huh?" Naruko looked at the Hokage blankly.

"After you left this morning, ANBU operatives removed all of your possessions from the apartment and took it to your new residence." Sarutobi explained.

"New…Huh?" Naruko said her expression puzzled.

"When you defeated Mizuki, you defeated the last of the small, and relatively unknown, Toji Clan." Sarutobi explained, "That alone would have won you all of his ninja gear. Add in the fact he was about to become a nuke-nin after stealing the Scroll of Seals, and you won all he owned -including his house and any shares in businesses he had. It is your right as the member of a Clan to take possession of all he once owned."

"I…won his house?" Naruko said disbelievingly.

"Indeed. I… {AHEM}…acted in advance of your knowledge of the laws because I thought it would make a nice graduation present." Sarutobi's face twisted sourly, "Now it's far more a necessity than anything else -meaning I still owe you a graduation present."

Thinking for a minute, Sarutobi's face brightened. "Aha! I know what to give you!" Sarutobi stood, made five handsigns, drew some blood then slammed his hand on the floor.

"_**Kuchiyose no Jutsu-**_ _**Saru Tan'ya: Enki! (Summoning Jutsu- Monkey Blacksmith: Enki!)**_" He shouted.

A plume of chakra smoke appeared where the Hokage slammed his hand and cleared to reveal a white and brown monkey about Naruko's height, wearing a leather apron, gloves and an eye patch over his left eye. His upper body was bulging with muscles and had a no-nonsense air about him.

"Sarutobi? Why have you summoned me?" the monkey asked in a rasping voice.

"Enki. I would like the gauntlet if you please." Sarutobi said politely.

The monkey made an odd sound that Naruko thought might be a laugh. "Why do you need that old thing?" he asked the Hokage, "It rejected you."

"For Naruko-chan." The Hokage replied, indicating Naruko with a small gesture, "She just graduated from the Academy and I thought it would make an excellent gift."

Enki looked Naruko up and down and snorted dismissively. "I doubt she has the reserves to even put the thing on, let alone use it."

"Oi!" Naruko said, a tick mark appearing on her head, "I have so much chakra that I have to make hundreds of regular _**Bunshins **_in order for the damn jutsu to work. Whatever it is you're talking about, I can handle it-dattebayo!"

The monkey raised his only visible eyebrow at the anger Naruko put in her voice. "You really shouldn't say that until you know what you're talking about, Kozō (Brat). The item Sarutobi wishes to give you doesn't work for people who do not have the right skills, chakra and mindset. It is my best creation, only one person in the last thirty years has worn the damn thing, and she _died _using it. Since then, no-one has been able to even put it on, even Sarutobi here."

"I won't die until I become Hokage." Naruko said stubbornly, "So bring it on, Enki-san."

Enki studied her for a moment before nodding. "OK, Kozō. But don't say I didn't warn ya." He disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Now we wait." Sarutobi told Naruko. He sat back down at his desk and fought his enemy once again while he waited. Naruko dispelled her clones as she now had to wait here for a while but still threw longing glances at the boxes that held her heritage.

A puff of smoke signalled Enki's return. He was holding a box that was just over a foot long and half that wide. He placed it on the floor before him reverently and motioned Naruko to sit opposite him.

"I swore twenty years ago that no-one beneath the rank of Jonin would ever even try to wear this gauntlet again." Enki said solemnly, "Now, I find myself breaking my word to myself."

Enki removed the lid slowly to reveal one of the most beautiful things Naruko had ever seen. It was a gauntlet, similar to a samurai's, but far more ornamented. Made from finely wrought steel, it was covered infighting monkeys, with a snarling monkey head over the part that protected the back of the hand. Just behind where the wrist was, the armour was bronze and seemed to be able to rotate.

"Behold." Enki whispered hoarsely, "En'ō Kago-te (The Gauntlet of the Monkey King)."

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**Next Chapter: Team Assignment**

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**Jutsu Lexicon**

(Any Jutsu with the name emboldened is one I made up)

Orioke no Jutsu - Sexy Jutsu.

Rank: E

Type: _Supplementary_

Effect: _A variation on the Henge no Jutsu, this transforms the user into a gorgeous naked woman. Placed in the Forbidden Scroll of Sealing by Sarutobi Hiruzen after suffering a humiliating defeat at the hands of Academy Student Uzumaki Naruko._

Kage Bunshin no Jutsu - Shadow Clone Jutsu

Rank: B

Type: _Supplementary/Kinjutsu_

Effect: _Creates a physical clone made of chakra in the users image. Very Chakra intensive. Not recommended to be used by those under the rank of Jonin._

Bunshin no Jutsu - Clone Jutsu

Rank: E

Type: _Supplementary_

Effect: _Creates one or more illusory, insubstantial clones. A basic jutsu rarely used by most ninja outside of the Academy._

**Futon: Soyokaze - Wind Style: Gentle Breeze**

Rank: E

Type: _Supplementary (Training)_

Effect: _Manipulates the air up to three meters away and directs it to where the used wishes. A training jutsu that is used in Sunagakure for wind users._

Shunshin no Jutsu - Body Flicker Jutsu

Rank: D

Type: _Supplementary_

Effect: _a high-speed movement technique used mostly by ninja of chunin rank or above due to the chakra control necessary. Usually unsuited for combat due to the ease of tracking the direction the user moves in._

Kuchiyose no Jutsu -Summoning Jutsu

Rank: C

Type: _Offensive, Defensive, Supplementary_

Effect: _Using blood and chakra as a sacrifice, the Summoner calls forth an animal that s/he has made a pact with the species. Rare and powerful, summoning contracts are required to use this jutsu._


	2. Chapter 2: Team Assignments

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I just use what is there to write in the universe.**

"Dattebayo!" -normal speech

'_Dobe_' -Thoughts

'{_Shannaro!}_' -Inner Sakura

"**Ningen****"**-Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Speech

'**Brat****'** -Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Thoughts

"_**Kage Bunshin!**_" -Ninjutsu/Genjutsu/Taijutsu move.

**Chapter 2: Team Assignments**

**Timeskip - The Next Day**

**Council Chamber, Hokage Tower**

Sarutobi pinched the bridge of his nose wearily. Kami, these council meetings gave him more headaches that Naruko's pranks!

"For the last time, Uzumaki Naruko's graduation is permitted as a special exemption due to her mastering a B-Rank kinjutsu, stopping a traitor from fleeing with the Scroll of Seals and saving the life of her teacher from the traitor!" he shouted at the group of people seated to his left, the civilian part of the council.

"But Hokage-sama, she's a demon!" a rather stupid councilman protested. The rest of the civilian council fell silent and edges away from the idiotic man. They all knew what was going to happen now.

Sarutobi glared at the man and unleashed his KI, making his target cower away from him and lose control of his bladder.

"As everyone in this room is aware of Naruko's status as a Jinchuruki, I cannot have you executed." Sarutobi spoke in an angry whisper that echoed in the now-silent room, "However, if you ever _dare_ refer to Naruko as a demon _ever_ again in my presence, you shall join Mizuki in ANBU T&I's custody and suffer everything he has gone through at the hands of Mitarashi Anko and Morino Ibiki. AM I UNDERSTOOD?"

"H-Hai…Hokage-sama…." The now terrified man quavered.

"Good." Sarutobi said in a more normal tone of voice. "You are excused from the council today as I believe you need to get a change of undergarments, among other things."

The man glowed red with humiliation, but got up and squelched his way out of the council chamber. Sarutobi sighed and glanced around.

"Does anyone _else_ have a point to bring up about Naruko's graduation before we move onto the next topic?" he asked.

"I do." said a man wearing bandages and his arm in a sling. Sarutobi sighed. He should have known.

"No, Danzō. I will not let you turn Naruko into an emotionless killing machine." He told his old teammate.

"It would be for the best Hiruzen." Danzō insisted. "Give her to me, and I shall forge from her a weapon of unparalleled strength to protect Konoha."

"I said _no_, Danzō. Do not push your luck." Sarutobi warned him, "Naruko is already absolutely loyal to Konoha and I will not allow you to destroy her emotions just because you feel they get in the way. Now _drop it_."

"Very well Hiruzen, but I warn you that you _will_ regret not taking my advice. She will go out of control and you will wish that you had listened to me." Danzō said genially.

Sarutobi gave his old friend a hard look before asking once again if anyone had anything further to add about Naruko before moving on tot the next item on the agenda.

"No-one? Good. The next item is the proposal I made in which the new genin teams, once they have been passed by their Jonin-sensei's of course, are moved into the same apartment and learn to live together. Opinions?"

"What's the point?" asked a civilian, "I mean, why bother to move them out of their parents' homes when they're only twelve?"

Sarutobi was surprised at such a stupid question, then he remembered this _was_ a civilian he was talking to.

"Firstly, although newly graduated genin are only twelve or thirteen, once they receive their hitai-ate, they are considered adults in the eyes of the village as you should be _well_ aware, Satoshi-san." Sarutobi said looking pointedly at the man who had asked the question.

"Secondly, I believe that it should help improve teamwork. Living together and working together should help the teams bond more quickly and thus raise the speed of their on-the-job efficiency. Third, having to pay for utilities out of their mission pay and standard genin pay will teach them a sense of responsibility and maturity that will be needed on C-Rank and above missions and the Chunin Selection Exams." Sarutobi finished his explanation and looked around to see the council's reaction.

The Ninja side was nodding approvingly. Except Nara Shikaku, but that was just because he was asleep as always. The advisors, Koharu and Homura, were also nodding in approval. Danzō looked Sarutobi in the eye and shrugged indifferently. The civilian side was having a whispered debate that seemed to be leaning towards accepting the proposal.

"Does the council feel that a decision can be reached today?" Sarutobi enquired. Seeing a majority of them agree, the aged Hokage said, "Very well. All those in favour of the proposal, raise your hands."

The vast majority of the room raise their hands, drawing dirty looks from a couple of civilians.

"All those against?" A small group of stubborn civilians raised their hands.

"The proposal is accepted by the majority." Sarutobi declared, "Starting with this graduating class, the Genin Housing Act is in force."

The meeting continued after that, with nothing of interest coming up. After it ended, Sarutobi was surprised to see the Ino-Shika-Cho, Hyuuga Hiashi as well as Councilwoman Haruno in his office.

"This is an unsurprising gathering that I should have anticipated." Sarutobi mused aloud, "Might I assume your children have something to do with it?"

"Ino was very…_insistent_ on finding out what happened to Naruko." Yamanaka Inoichi said dryly.

"My troublesome son set my wife on me when I said it was too troublesome to find out." Shikaku groused.

"Choji was wondering why Naruko never showed up to their weekly Ramen eating contest." Akimichi Chōza said.

"My daughter heard about Naruko-chan's house being blown up and was concerned." Haruno Megumi added.

"My eldest was so worried about Naruko that she forgot to hold back against Hanabi and defeated her soundly." Hiashi said, a hint of pride in his voice.

Sarutobi sealed the room with a couple of well-placed seals. Before speaking. "What is said here is to be kept absolutely confidential. Understood?" he said firmly looking at each person and getting a nod.

"Naruko's apartment building was destroyed by a large number of explosive tags placed at key structural locations to ensure both the collapse of the building and the death of anyone in the top floor…"

"….Where Naruko's apartment was located." Shikaku finished in a drawling tone. "Troublesome. So that means that at least one shinobi is in on it."

"The ANBU who investigated the scene reported that an estimate of at least 500 Explosive Tags were used to destroy the building, far more than was needed considering it was teetering on the verge of being condemned due to lack of necessary maintenance. A hundred would have been more than enough." Sarutobi added.

"That…is a _lot_ of explosive tags." Inoichi remarked, "I don't think that Konoha has had that many tags in reserve since the death of the Yondaime."

"We don't." the Sandaime stated. "We have barely 150 tags in reserve, and only about thirty are made a month from an old man who is of only passable skill. From the remains of a few of the tags, we have determined that only a few were his work, with the rest being either the Yondaime's work or fairly amateurish homemade attempts. I have also looked had the reserves checked and they are untouched. Therefore, I then turned to the only shop in Konoha that sells them. According to their records, ANBU buys ten a month, with various Jonin and Chunin buying most of the others. Interestingly enough, one person has bought about five to seven a month since the stores the Yondaime made were emptied, in addition to purchasing fifty a month since the Yondaime's death."

"Who was it?" Megumi asked.

"Yamanaka Haruo." The Sandaime said. Inoichi looked sick.

"That…is unsurprising." Inoichi said faintly, "his mother was the only Yamanaka to die on the Day of the Kyuubi."

"Yes, although strangely enough, he has not been seen near Naruko-chan's building at all in the past seven years since she moved there." Sarutobi said with a frown, "This leads me to conclude he had accomplices. I have assigned a pair of ANBU to shadow him, as well as questioning Naruko's ANBU watchers to list everyone who entered Naruko's old home and how frequently. It did not take a single hour to set those tags and I _will_ find out who did it."

"Speaking of Naruko, where is she?" Chōza asked.

Sarutobi smirked. "Oh, she's getting settled into her new house."

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**The Former Toji Clan Home, Clan Residential District**

"Sheesh, this place is cool and everything, but it's filthy!" Naruko muttered as she scrubbed the wooden floor with a cloth. She generally wasn't a neat freak, but according what to her Ji-chan had told her when he brought her here last night, the Toji Clan had been reduced to a single family during the Third Great War, who had then moved into the main Ninja residential District.

_Mizuki_ had been the only one to survive the Kyuubi's attack on Konoha and _he_ had lived in the Academy barracks, so the place hadn't been lived in for at least twenty years and was in desperate need of a good clean.

"ARRRGGHH!" Naruko threw the cloth down in frustration. "I've been at this for over five hours and barely scratched the surface! I haven't even had a chance to look at my family's scrolls! I need help!"

Suddenly an idea popped into her head and she made the Clone Handsign. "_**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!**_" she called and summoned thirty exact copies of herself.

"Alright Ladies!" Naruko said putting her hands on her hips, "We have a house to clean and it isn't going to clean itself. Split up and clean this place until it goes *ping*! Start in the living quarters and work your way to the rest of the compound!"

"Yes ma'am!" her doppelgangers chorused before splitting up and spreading throughout the house. Naruko grinned to herself. This jutsu was sooo useful.

That thought actually stopped her for a moment. '_Come to think of it, this Jutsu was in the Forbidden Scroll of Seals. There should be a reason for that. I'll ask Ji-chan when he comes to visit this afternoon._'

Shaking her head slightly, Naruko wandered into the living room that she had cleaned over an hour ago and sat down on the sofa with a sigh. A metallic clinking noise drew her attention to the gauntlet she now wore on her right arm.

Raising her arm, she admired the way the light shone on the metal as she remembered what had happened in the Hokage's office the previous day.

_{Flashback}_

"_En'ō Kago-te?" Naruko breathed, entranced by the beautiful gauntlet._

"_Yes." Enki said solemnly, "As I said, my finest work. I am one of the two Master Blacksmiths of the Monkey Clan. I forge armour, my counterpart forges weapons. I created this gauntlet for King Enma, the Monkey King, as a tithe of sorts."_

"_Tithe?" Naruko asked, baffled._

"_Something similar to a tax." Sarutobi simplified for her._

"_Indeed." Enki agreed, "However, King Enma couldn't wear it, as it required far too much chakra for him to do so."_

"_Enma is my personal summon, Naruko-chan." Sarutobi explained, seeing her incomprehension, "He is the Boss Summon of the Monkey Clan, therefore the most powerful of them all."_

_Naruko's eyes widened. "Someone on the same level as Yondaime-sama's summon Gamabunta wasn't able to wear this gauntlet?" she said, awed._

_Enki snorted. "Enma-sama is far older and more experienced than Gamabunta. He whipped all the summons of the Sannin, Gamabunta, Katsuya and Manda, at the same time during a sparring session."_

_Naruko's eyes widened further. Sarutobi grinned. "Let's bring him here so we can see his reaction when Naruko-chan here does what he could not." Enki recoiled, but nodded in acquiescence._

_Sarutobi weaved the summoning jutsu's handsigns again. "__**Kuchiyose: **__**Enkōō: Enma! (Summoning: Monkey King: Enma!)**__"_

_In a puff of smoke, a man-sized monkey wearing a tiger skin kimono, a black shinobi suit and a Konoha Hitai-ate. He had white fur all over his body and had a long goatee and sideburns._

"**Hiruzen? Why have you summoned me when there is no battle or training to be done?"**_ Enma asked after looking around for a moment._

"_Enma." Sarutobi greeted his summon genially, "I brought you here to see an end to our little wager." he gestured to the open box and the gaping mouthed Naruko._

"**That thing?"** _Enma snorted, _**"There is no way that she can wear it, even is she ****does**** have the Kyuubi sealed inside her."**

_Naruko recoiled. "How…?"_

"_Enma and I arrived just as the Yondaime sealed the fox into you." Sarutobi replied, "Don't worry. Enma is very knowledgeable about the Ninja arts and beasts of similar power to the Kyuubi have been sealed away before."_

"**Those villagers still don't know the difference between a scroll and the kunai that's sealed in it?"**_ Enma asked. At a single nod from Sarutobi, Enma snorted again and muttered something under his breath before turning to Naruko._

"**Kid, I have nothing against you. You were barely an hour old when the damn fox was sealed into you and the Yondaime would not have picked you if he did not think you could handle it. Ignore the villagers and trust what Sarutobi here says. He knows you, they don't." **_Enma told the girl bluntly._

"_A-arigato, Enma-sama." Naruko said softly. Then she cocked her head to the side and looked at Enma for a moment._

"_I could swear that I've seen you before, Enma-sama, but I can't think where." she confessed with a small frown._

"**Heh. Remember me? Hardly surprising."**_ Enma chuckled, _**"Hiruzen summoned me to guard you when you were still a baby and he had to go off to a council meeting. Some idiot chunin tried to kill you and I took care of him. I would guard you when Hiruzen here was out of the village, discreetly, right up until you were about five. You probably caught glimpses of me and that's why you recognise me a bit."**

_Naruko bowed at Enma. "Thank you for guarding me, Enma-sama."_

"**Just doing my job, kid. Besides, those who attack younglings are scum and need to be removed from the world. Remember this."** _Enma replied._

"_Hai." Naruko nodded. Enki, who had been silent until now, cleared his throat._

"_Ahem. Naruko-san, if you still wish to attempt this, please say so." He said in a formal tone that sounded weird in his rasping voice._

_Taking her cue from him, Naruko straightened slightly and said, "I wish to proceed."_

_Enki nodded and tapped the __En'ō Kago-te in three different places: the rearmost plate, the section that seemed to be able to revolve and the snarling ape's mouth. Where he touched, small holes opened up._

"_Now, take a kunai and put a drop of blood into each hole." Enki directed. Shrugging, Naruko did so. As she dripped a drop into each hole, it closed up. Once the last hole was closed, the gauntlet began to glow a faint blue._

"_What's happening?" Naruko asked._

"**The gauntlet is judging your worthiness."** _Enma replied, _**"I made it past this stage, but failed the next one."**

"_How can you tell that it accepts you?" the blond kunoichi asked._

_[Snick!]_

_Everyone looked at the gauntlet as the lower half snapped open._

"_It does that." Enki replied, gesturing at the gauntlet, "Now you must simply put it on."_

"_What'll it do then?" Naruko asked warily, not forgetting that this gauntlet had killed someone who was unworthy to wield it._

"_Drain you of your chakra." Enki stated bluntly, "You see, the __En'ō Kago-te is technically an incomplete device at the moment. Until someone gives it sufficient chakra in a single sitting, it will never be complete."_

"_Why a single sitting?" Sarutobi asked._

"_That's how it turned out." Enki replied, "I have since adjusted my methods to ensure this doesn't happen, but none since have had the potential that this one has."_

_Naruko took a breath, released it then picked up the gauntlet._

"_Make sure you put it on your dominant arm." Enki warned._

_Nodding, Naruko carefully fitted the __En'ō Kago-te to her right arm._

_[Snick!]_

_The gauntlet closed around her arm and glowed red, then green, then a deep blue._

"_Is it…shrinking?" Sarutobi asked curiously. The gauntlet was indeed shrinking to the right size for Naruko's arm._

"**It did the same for me."** _Enma noted, _**"Naruko, when you feel a sudden drain of your chakra, make the Ram Handsign and move chakra into your right arm. Not a lot, just maintain a slow, steady stream."**

"_Right." Naruko nodded. A minute passed then Naruko stiffened and then made the Ram handsign._

"_D-Damn…this is more chakra…than I've ever used before!" Naruko grunted, sweat beading her brow with the effort._

_Abruptly, an ANBU appeared in the room, a hand on his ninjatō._

"_Hokage-sama, I detected an immense build-up of chakra here…" he said._

"_It is of no importance." Sarutobi told the ANBU, "Everything is under control. Return to your post."_

_The ANBU vanished in a swirl of leaves._

"_How long…do I have to maintain this…for?" Naruko asked, returning everyone's attention to the struggling kunoichi._

"_The process should be complete when the monkey engravings on the sides all turn from chakra metal to adamantine." Enki replied._

_Looking at the gauntlet closely, the watchers could see that the first two monkeys had changed from the bright shiny grey of the steel-like chakra metal to a hard matt-black metal._

"_So…two down, ten to go?" Naruko asked, getting a nod in return._

_Over the next half hour, nine of the ten remaining monkeys turned to adamantine._

"**Impressive."** _Enma noted, _**"I was only able to get to seven and a half."**

"_T-This last o-one…is more draining than the…others." Naruko gasped out, "It's…almost like it's fighting me."_

_Enki frowned, then realisation lit his face. "Naruko, it's the chakra of the others who have attempted to wear __En'ō Kago-te, it's fighting you. If you fully claim possession of it, the chakra of those who came before you will cease to be."_

"_EH!" Naruko looked at him, startled. "But…what about the person who died with this thing on? W-what if it's a g-ghost?"_

_Sweatdrops appeared on every person (or ape) watching the kunoichi._

"_Naruko, we've been over this before." Sarutobi said patiently, "There are no such things as ghosts. What is fighting against you now is just chakra. Increase the rate of flow to your arm and it should be over soon."_

"_R-right." Naruko focussed again and the watching shinobi and blacksmith could feel the flow of chakra become more rapid and so slowly, surely but relentlessly, the last monkey turned into adamantine._

_A long, drawn out monkey howl emerged from the gauntlet as it began glowing a bright and vibrant blue that increased in intensity until no one could look at it._

_Then suddenly, the light was gone and the occupants of the room could see once more. Naruko looked at the __En'ō Kago-te and saw that the snarling face on the front was also adamantine._

"_You…you actually did it." Enki said, disbelief plain on his face, "The last person who wore that was an experienced jonin and yet you managed to-"_

"_Who was she anyway, the last person to wear this gauntlet?" Naruko asked, tapping the gauntlet with a finger._

"_Her name was Sarutobi Miwa." the Sandaime said softly, "She was a remarkable young woman, with considerable promise as a kunoichi."_

"_I'll remember her." Naruko promised. Sarutobi chuckled softly as he caught sight of one part of the gauntlet._

"_By the looks of things, whoever receives the __En'ō Kago-te after you will know you as well."_

_Naruko sent a questioning look at Sarutobi, who pointed at the underside of the gauntlet. When Naruko looked, there were two sets of kanji engraved along the length of the gauntlet. One was __炎鬼 __(Enki), the other was __うずまき__ナル__子 __(Uzumaki Naruko)._

"**Not entirely unexpected."**_ Enma said with an amused look on his face at Naruko's stunned disbelief, _**" You did help create it after all."**

"_But-" Naruko tried to protest, but was interrupted by Enki._

"_Kozō__, I may have forged the thing, but it was your chakra that gave life to it." Enki held out a hand, "Nice working with you."_

_Naruko shook hands on automatic, still stunned at having her name on an artefact that took so much of her chakra._

"_Man, I am exhausted." She commented as she let go of Enki's hand and sat down, visibly tired._

"_Naruko-chan, exactly how much chakra did you use?" Sarutobi asked curiously._

_The blond kunoichi shrugged. "Dunno. A lot of it, I guess. Never felt chakra exhaustion, but from what I remember Iruka-sensei saying about how it feels, I've come pretty close to it just now."_

_Sarutobi raised an eyebrow at this. Naruko had far more chakra than he himself did and she had come close to chakra exhaustion?_

_Naruko turned to Enki. "So, what the heck can this thing do anyway? If it needed so much chakra, it must do some cool stuff."_

"_That can wait until tomorrow, Naruko-chan. We have to go about finding a place for you to sleep tonight." Sarutobi interjected._

"_Sounds fair to me." Enki said gruffly. "This girl needs to lie down before she falls down. Same time tomorrow, Sarutobi?"_

"_Three days from now." Sarutobi corrected him. "Naruko will be recuperating and getting her team assignment tomorrow and the real genin test the day afterwards."_

_Enma nodded._ **"Summon me as well Hiruzen. I have a part to play in this too."**

_After Sarutobi agreed, the two summons bade Naruko farewell and disappeared back to their realm in two puffs of smoke._

_{Flashback End}_

Naruko was jolted out of her thoughts by the sensation of one of her clones dispersing.

"Ji-chan's early." she muttered as she got up to meet her Kage.

"Ah, Naruko-chan." Sarutobi called as he walked down the now pristine hallway, "I believe I told you last night to take it easy."

Naruko scratched the back of her head nervously. "I am Ji-chan! I only made thirty clones!"

' '_Only thirty' she says. In my prime, I could make that many…before passing out!_' Sarutobi thought wryly.

"Fair enough." he allowed, "Anyway, it's almost time for team assignments, so get cleaned up."

"Damn!" Naruko yelped as she ran off.

Sarutobi chuckled. "Ah, to be that energetic again…"

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Naruko's Classroom, Konoha Ninja Academy**

"Ino-pig, get away from Sasuke-kun!" shouted a pink-haired girl wearing a red battle-dress.

"Tch. You first Forehead-girl!" replied a platinum blond wearing a purple top and skirt, bandages and cream arm-warmers.

The two girls were standing next to an empty seat that was in turn next to a raven-haired boy with onyx eyes wearing a blue top, white shorts and cream arm-warmers. The boy currently had a large tick mark on his forehead at the noise the two squabbling girls were making.

"Don't those two ever get tired of that?" asked a rotund boy as he opened a bag of potato snacks. His companion, a pineapple-haired boy who had his head on the desk, turned his head slightly to look at his friend.

"Women are too troublesome for words, Choji." he replied.

At the back of the room, a blue haired girl in a bulky white coat looked at an empty seat with a tinge of sadness in her lavender eyes.

'_Naruko-chan…_' she thought sadly.

Nearby, a boy with brown hair and wearing a large olive-green coat sat silently ignoring his classmates.

In the front row, a boy with facial tattoos resembling fangs and wearing a grey coat with a hood was playing with a small white puppy.

It was into this chaos that Iruka walked as he entered the room. Walking slowly, he made his way to the teacher's podium, he noted all of this classes usual idiosyncratic oddities as he did with a small sigh.

Flipping through three handsigns, he used his _**Ninpo: Onigashira no Jutsu ( Ninja Art: Demon Head Jutsu)**_ to make his head seemingly swell up to three times its normal size and increase his voice volume by a large amount as well.

"SIT DOWN NOW!" he roared, causing the entire class to come to order at last.

Wincing slightly from the pain coming from the wound Mizuki gave him, Iruka looked at the class and was about to speak when the door slammed open.

"Sorry I'm late!" Naruko yelled as she barrelled into the classroom.

"Ah, Naruko." Iruka said with a smile. "Settling in ok?"

"Yeah, but the place is filthy. I've got a lot of work to do when I get back." Naruko grumbled.

"Oi, dobe! Why are you here, this is a graduates only class!" The boy with the puppy jeered.

"Use your eyes for a change Kiba." Naruko snapped back and pointed at the hitai-ate on her forehead, "Ji-chan will explain everything when he gets here."

"Alright Naruko, take your seat." Iruka told her. She grinned at him and walked over to her usual seat.

Iruka then launched into a speech about how proud he was of them and the expectations that now befell them as ninja. Naruko sighed and crossed her legs, bored by this.

Once Iruka-sensei finished his speech, the Third Hokage entered and looked at them sternly.

"I'm certain that some of you are wondering why Toji Mizuki is not here." He said gravely, "I'm afraid Mizuki is under arrest for the attempted theft of the Forbidden Scroll of Seals, Assault on a fellow Konoha Shinobi and breaking an S-Rank law."

A flurry of whispers erupt from the new genin, barring the Uchiha and the Aburame. Sarutobi waits for the noise to die down before speaking again.

"As a result of the confrontation, Uzumaki Naruko was give a special dispensation to be given the rank of genin. I ask that you do not pressure her for details as she is still somewhat exhausted from the confrontation."

"Ji-chan!" Naruko yelps in protest.

"It's true, Naruko." Sarutobi told her firmly, "In fact, once you've met with your Jonin-sensei, I want you to go straight home, alright?"

""Hai, Ji-chan." Naruko said, giving in to her grandfather-figures demand.

"Good." Sarutobi nodded firmly. Turning his attention back to the rest of the genin, the Hokage unfurled a scroll and began reading out the teams. Naruko ignored teams one through six because they were all civilian-born genin, including that bitch Ami, who had made Naruko's life miserable when she was younger.

"…Team 7 shall be comprised of Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura and Inuzuka Kiba, with Hatake Kakashi as the Jonin-sensei." Sarutobi announced.

"Shannaro! Eat that Ino-pig! True love conquers all!" Sakura yelled in victory.

"Why am I with the broody Emo and the pink banshee?" yelled Kiba.

"…Hn." Sasuke grunted dismissively.

"Team 8 shall be comprised of Yamanaka Ino, Uzumaki Naruko and Hyuuga Hinata, with Yūhi Kurenai as the Jonin-sensei." The Hokage continued, ignoring the two loud outbursts.

"Well I suppose it could be worse." Ino muttered.

{THUNK} Hinata fainted with joy.

"Nice!" Naruko grinned.

"Team 9 is still in circulation from last year….Team Ten shall be comprised of Aburame Shino, Akamichi Choji and Nara Shikamaru, with Sarutobi Asuma as the Jonin-sensei." Sarutobi finished and tucked the scroll away in his robe.

"….Troublesome." muttered Shikamaru.

"…" Shino merely remained silent.

" *Munch-much* At least Shika's with me." Choji said as he feasted on the snacks.

"After lunch, your Jonin-sensei's will pick you up. Except Team 7's sensei, he will be 3 hours late." Sarutobi told them.

"Why?" asked Sakura, curiously.

"Because he feels like it." was the blunt response, causing team 7 to sweatdrop.

Sarutobi coughed slightly. "Anyway, we will now break for lunch. Make sure not to be late for your meeting with your Jonin-sensei's." With that, the Hokage disappeared in a puff of smoke.

As the majority of the students made their way out of the classroom, Hinata finally woke up.

"A-Ano…What happened?" she asked Ino who had walked over to her.

"You found out Naruko-chan was on your team and passed out." Ino replied as she helped her new teammate to her feet.

"Ino-chan! Hinata-chan!" Naruko called from the door, "Let's go to Ichiraku's for lunch! My treat!"

"Coming!" Ino called.

Running to catch up with Naruko, Ino and Hinata missed the blond haired man glaring at them from outside the window.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Next Chapter: Genin Test Invaded!**

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Jutsu Lexicon**

Ninpo: Onigashira no Jutsu ( Ninja Art: Demon Head Jutsu)

Rank: High D

Type: _Supplementary_

Effect:_ A combination of a variation of the Henge no Jutsu and a chakra-amplified voice, this jutsu was created to deal with rowdy students at the Ninja Academy by Umino Iruka._


	3. Chapter 3: Genin Test Invaded

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine, because I am not Kishimoto.**

"Dattebayo!" -normal speech

'_Dobe_' -Thoughts

'{_Shannaro!}_' -Inner Sakura

"**Ningen****"**-Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Speech

'**Brat****'** -Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Thoughts

"_**Kage Bunshin!**_" -Ninjutsu/Genjutsu/Taijutsu move.

**Chapter 3: Genin Test Invaded**

**Streets of Konoha**

Yamanaka Haruo glared at the demon bitch as she led his Clan's Heiress as well as the Hyuuga Heiress down the street. How had she survived the blast that had levelled her building? Was she immortal or something? He was careful to keep out of sight and far enough back that the Hyuuga girl could not see him even if she activated her Kekkei Genkai as he leapt across the roofs as he followed his quarry.

He had been thirteen when the Kyuubi had attacked. He had been off duty and spending time with his mother, Hanako, when the immense beast had broken through the outer wall and started laying waste to the village. His mother had used the family jutsu, _**Shintenshin no Jutsu (Mind-Body Switch Jutsu)**_, on the beast and had had her mind shredded into nothing by the beast. Her body had not lasted a day after the death of her mind.

When Haruo had heard that the fox was sealed in a baby, he knew that the child's mind had been lost to the fox's own powerful mind. After all, seal or no seal, if a _Yamanaka_, who _specialised_ in mental assaults and defence, could not withstand the demon, what chance could a mere child have? Therefore, he had prepared to slay the demon, as he felt the Yondaime had intended to happen and in the name of vengeance for his mother.

A number of attempts were made to kill the demon by Haruo using his _**Shintenshin no Jutsu **_on__clanless shinobi in the weeks following the Day of The Kyuubi. All of them were ones who had lost loved ones in the attack and were mad with grief and rage at the Kyuubi. Because of that fact, they were not scanned by his own clan when the ANBU caught them. When the Third Hokage placed the demon in the orphanage, he was always under the constant guard of ANBU. Haruo realised that now was not the time and had bided his time gathering the tools for the plan he had laid out.

When the Orphanage had thrown the demon out for the last time, the Third had arranged an apartment for it, which had prompted everyone else in the building, including the owner, to abandon it like rats from a sinking ship.

Exactly as Haruo had anticipated.

He had gathered a group of like-minded individuals and enacted his plan. In ones and twos, they had infiltrated the building and placed exploding tags in key areas of the structure so that, when detonated, the demon would die, either from being crushed to death or from the initial blasts.

It had not been quick or easy to do. A 'friend' of his was a Hyuuga who was an amateur Seal Master. He had made a fair number of the tags. Unfortunately, only one tag in five actually worked, so they had to use far more than was actually needed, just to be on the safe side. In addition, ANBU watched the demons building like hawks, so they couldn't be seen near the building too often. It had taken seven years between Clan obligations, missions, Chuunin Exams and Jonin Exams to reach the point that the building could be destroyed and kill the demon.

He had detonated the tags the day after the Genin Exam, thinking that the demon would still be in its home, moping after being failed again. He had then gone out for a drink to celebrate, only to see the damn demon bitch walking beside the Third Hokage towards the Clan Residential district. Not only that, but she wore a hitai-ate.

He couldn't understand it. How? How had the conniving demon escaped the trap he had worked so hard on for seven years? How had she actually managed to graduate? He was utterly confused. Not to mention angry.

Fine then. If he couldn't kill her subtly, he'd just gut her in person. He had been a Jonin for over two years and could easily handle Kurenai, who had only been promoted a couple of months ago. The two heiresses were not even a speed bump to Haruo's mind.

Haruo was so focussed on his plan that he failed to notice a masked figure following behind him.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**With Team 8**

Naruko was smiling happily, as she walked into Ichiraku's with her team. She was surprised that she was lucky enough to get on a team with two of her friends. She couldn't think how she could have coped with either Kiba or Ami on her team, and don't even get her started on Sasuke the Emo Prince!

"Ossan, Ayame-nee-chan!" she called to the owners as she took a seat at the counter. Ichiraku Teuchi turned around, his usual large smile growing slightly larger at the sight of his best customer.

"Naruko-chan! Where have you been the last two days? Ayame was growing frantic when she heard your apartment building was blown up." he asked her with concern in his voice

Naruko scratched the back of her head in embarrassment. "Ehehehe. Sorry, Ossan. I was with Sandaime-ji-chan when my apartment was blown up, then I had to crash for the night. This morning I was busy cleaning up my new place."

"Ah, well that's good." Teuchi smiled at Naruko fondly. He was interrupted by a brown blur that leapt over the counter and crashed into Naruko.

Ino and Hinata gaped as a brown-haired older girl hugged Naruko in a death grip. "Naruko, where have you _been_?! Baka imouto! (Idiot little sister!)" The brown haired girl cried out.

"Ayame, you'd better let Naruko go before she suffocates." Teuchi said, amusement colouring his voice. Ayame 'eep'd' as she let go of Naruko, who had been turning blue in Ayame's embrace.

"G-gomen, Naruko-chan." Ayame said after her surrogate sister had recovered from her 'death by glomp' experience.

"It's ok Ayame-nee-chan. I should have let you know I was alright." Naruko replied with a grin. Teuchi caught sight of her hitai-ate.

"Oh, Naruko-chan! You graduated! Congratulations!" he boomed.

"Yep!" Naruko said, pride in her voice.

"And these two must be your team?" Teuchi deduced.

"Uh-huh. This is Yamanaka Ino-chan and Hyuuga Hinata-chan." Naruko introduced her friends to Teuchi.

"Hi!" Ino said with a smile.

"A-Ano…H-hello, Ichiraku-san." Hinata said, with a small bow.

"Just call me Teuchi, Ojou-chan." The chef said kindly, "Tell you what, to celebrate your graduation, the first bowl is on the house."

"Thanks Ossan!" Naruko beamed at him, "I'll have a Pork Ramen."

"A small Veggie Ramen." Ino said.

"An S-Shrimp Ramen, please." Hinata said politely.

The three girls chatted about their classmates who were in Teams one through six while they ate. Both Ino and Hinata were just as glad as Naruko was that Ami was not on their team. Ami had been the class queen bitch and only her cronies liked her.

After they finished, they made their way back to the Academy. As they walked, Naruko looked at Ino with a small frown on her face.

"Ino-chan, you need to eat more." She said finally.

"I'm on a _diet_ Naruko." Ino replied.

"We're ninja. We don't _need_ to diet." Naruko argued. "We have an active life and exercise a lot when we train. All your diet is doing to you is stopping you from getting the energy you need!"

"Naruko, I am sticking to my diet." Ino replied, a tick mark appearing on her head, "Sasuke-kun won't like me if I'm fat."

"Still don't see what you see in that teme." Naruko said, "He has all the personality of a dead fish and I've had better conversations with dogs."

"Baka! Don't insult Sasuke-kun!" Ino yelled at her, "What do you have against him anyway?"

"An Uchiha tried to kill me when I was seven!" Naruko snapped back angrily, "The only Uchihas who didn't hurt me were Itachi-nii, Sasuke's mum and Shisui-san!"

Wide-eyed, Ino stared at Naruko in horror. "Why though? Did you prank them or something?"

"Can't tell you that Ino-chan." Naruko said softly. "Just trust me; Sasuke-teme is not worth it if he's anything like what the majority of his Clan were like."

Ino looked like she wanted to ask something else, but they had reached the Academy and so she evidently decided to wait until later to grill Naruko. Making their way to their classroom for what would presumably be the last time, Team 8 sat together and waited for their Jonin-sensei.

"Oh yeah, guess what you two." Naruko said excitedly, "Ji-chan told me about my mother yesterday."

"I-I'm glad for you, Naruko-chan." Hinata said with a happy smile. All of Naruko's friends knew how much the blond prankster yearned to know about her family.

"So, who was she?" Ino asked. Naruko smiled softly.

"Her name was Uzumaki Kushina, an S-Rank Jonin Kunoichi.," she said quietly. "Ji-chan said she could give Yondaime-sama a hard time in a spar if he didn't use his _**Hiraishin no Jutsu**_."

"Wow." Hinata breathed in awe. The Yondaime Hokage was practically worshiped by the entire village both for his actions during the Third Great Shinobi War, where he wiped out fully half of Iwagakure's Shinobi forces, and for sacrificing his life to slay the Kyuubi twelve years ago. For Naruko's mother to have been able to give _him_ a hard fight in a spar was incredible.

Ino was equally stunned. "I'll say. What happened to her?"

Naruko slumped a bit. "She died an hour after giving birth to me. Her body was discovered next to Yondaime-sama's. The file I read didn't say how she died or why she was on the battlefield almost immediately after giving birth to me."

Ino's eyes watered and she felt like kicking herself for asking such an insensitive question. She had _obviously_ died before Naruko could remember her, so she should have kept her mouth shut.

"Sorry, Naruko-chan. I shouldn't have asked that." Ino said softly.

Naruko shook her head slightly. "It's ok Ino-chan." She assured her friend with a small smile.

Just then, the door opened and a pair of Shinobi entered the room. One was a man who looked a lot like a much younger version of the Third Hokage, wearing the standard Jonin outfit, with a sash around his waist with the character 火 (Fire) emblazoned on it. Naruko supposed that this was Sarutobi Asuma.

The other person to walk in was a Kunoichi. She had black hair, an unsettling pair of red eyes and wore an outfit that looked like it was made of bandages with thorny vines painted on them. Presumably then, this was Yūhi Kurenai. Naruko noted with disgust that Kiba was leering at her lecherously.

"Team Ten, this way." the Sandaime look-alike said before walking out. Shino, Shikamaru and Choji made their way out the door. The Jonin Kunoichi looked around and said, "Team 8? With me." and walked out as well.

The three genin hurried after her and caught up to her at the Academy's main entrance.

She looked each of them in the eyes, smiling when she saw Hinata, and said, "Meet me at Ashigya's Dango Shop." before she vanished in a swirl of leaves.

Naruko frowned. That was odd. Why would she…?

Suddenly, the gauntlet she had hidden on her arm warmed up and was getting hot! Naruko pulled her sleeve and looked at it. The eyes of the snarling ape face were glowing red, reminding Naruko of the Jonin-sensei that had just been here.

Looking up at her teammates, Naruko frowned when she saw that their pupils were contracted and they seemed to be staring off into the distance. Her own eyes widened when she realised what was happening.

'_Genjutsu!_' Forming the Tiger seal, Naruko attempted to dispel the illusion. "_**Kai! (Release!)**_" she said as she tried to halt the flow of chakra within herself and then overpower the chakra of the person who had cast the genjutsu with her own chakra. Much to her own surprise, it worked, revealing her sensei standing in front of her with wide eyes.

"You broke free of my _**Genjutsu: **__**Sanran Ha Tabi no Jutsu (Illusion: Scattered Leaf Journey Jutsu)**_ _and_ my _**Genjutsu: Tōmei Manto no Jutsu (Illusion: Invisibility Cloak Jutsu)**_ before either of your teammates even discovered they were even _in_ a genjutsu!" She exclaimed in shock, "How? I was told that you had no skill in genjutsu or genjutsu detection."

"Ehehehe." Naruko chuckled nervously. "Would you accept 'I don't know either' as an answer?"

"I'm afraid not." Kurenai replied firmly. Naruko sighed and revealed En'ō Kago-te. "I think it has something to do with this gauntlet that Sandaime-ji-chan gave me yesterday. I think my chakra control goes up a bit when I wear it."

"'A bit'" Kurenai parroted, "Try 'By a whole lot', Naruko. The Academy's reports say you couldn't even recognise that you were in a genjutsu, let alone break _two _almost simultaneously."

Naruko flushed at this and opened her mouth to reply, but then Hinata ran through a short handsign sequence and said, "_**Byakugan! (White Eye)**_", prompting veins on the sides of her eyes to bulge out. After looking around for a moment, Hinata cancelled the genjutsu on herself.

"N-Naruko-chan? Ino-chan?" Hinata asked looking between her friends. Naruko swiftly concealed her gauntlet. She didn't want any more questions asked of her than Kurenai already had.

"Ino-chan's still under the genjutsu." Naruko told her. "I'd get her out of it but...ah…I kinda don't know how to get another person out of a genjutsu other than with pain and if I use _that_ method, Ino-chan will thump me one."

Hinata giggled as she formed the Tiger seal again then reached to touch Ino's head and said "_**Kai!**_" Ino immediately blinked and looked around as Hinata removed her hand from her friend.

"Huh…? What the…?" the mind-walker said, disoriented by her sudden return to reality.

"It looks like our sensei was testing us in advance of the _real_ Genin Test." Naruko said dryly. Kurenai's eyes narrowed at Naruko's words.

"How did you know about the test? No genin is supposed to know about the real test until told by their sensei." She asked sharply.

Naruko shrugged nonchalantly. "Ji-chan mentioned it yesterday. He didn't say what it was; just that it's going to happen tomorrow."

Kurenai stared at Naruko for a moment before sighing and beckoning the girls to follow her. They walked to the Dango restaurant that Kurenai had mentioned previously and sat at a table. Kurenai ordered a pot of tea along with a plate of dango.

"Alright. Let's begin by introducing ourselves." the red-eyed Jonin said briskly as she poured herself some tea.

"Introduce ourselves?" Ino said blankly, "Why? I've been friends and classmates with Naruko and Hinata for years."

"But you don't know me and I don't know you." Kurenai replied, "I'll go first. I'm Yūhi Kurenai. I like dango and my friends, I dislike perverts and people who lower the standards of kunoichi. My dream for the future is to train you all into strong kunoichi. Your turn, Ponytail."

Ino's eyebrow twitched at the nickname, but she forced down her lingering irritation at the Jonin who had put her under a genjutsu for a preliminary test, although Ino inwardly acknowledged that a great deal of her irritation was due to her own inability to detect and break the damn genjutsu.

"Fine. I'm Yamanaka Ino. I like flowers, red bean soup and Sasuke-kun. I dislike loud and obnoxious people and, on occasion, Forehead Girl. My dream is to be a strong Kunoichi and master my Clan Jutsu."

'_Hmmm. Slight Fangirl issues, but nothing too severe._' Kurenai thought as she motioned to Hinata that it was her turn.

"I-I'm Hyuuga Hinata. I like…" she sneaked a blushing glance at Naruko, "…Cinnamon Buns, m-my friends, Flower Pressing a-and origami. I d-dislike people who put the b-blame where it isn't due and The_** Hyuuga Sōke**__** no**__** Juinjutsu (Hyuuga Main Family's Cursed Seal Jutsu)**_. M-My dream is to reunite the Hyuuga Clan as a f-family and become a strong kunoichi."

'_Looks like she still admires Naruko. And she still hates the 'Caged Bird' Seal._' Kurenai smiled at the girl she considered her surrogate daughter, before turning to Naruko.

"And finally, Naruko. Your turn."

"Yosh! I'm Uzumaki Naruko! I like my friends, training, Ramen and a soon to be added addition is researching my family history. I dislike Sasuke-teme, people who can't see the scroll for the kunai it seals, the 3-minute wait to cook cup Ramen and perverts. My dream is to become the Hokage who will surpass all those who came before me-dattebayo!"

'…_Well _that_ was a whole lot more detailed than I expected. Family History? I thought she was an orphan. She's obviously taking a stand against the village idiots who think she's the fox. Good for her._' Kurenai thought approvingly.

"Very good. Now, as Naruko said earlier, you have yet to actually pass the real test for becoming Genin." Kurenai said seriously.

"What was the Academy Graduation Test for then?" asked Ino irately.

"A filter. To keep those who lack the most basic skills out of the Shinobi Forces." Kurenai replied, "By passing those exams, you have proven that you are ready to be _truly_ tested. I should warn you, the failure rate of the True Genin Exam is 66% or, more simply, two-thirds of those who will take the test tomorrow will fail it."

"Two-thirds?!" Ino almost shouted in shock.

"Yes. All those who fail are sent back to repeat the last year of the Academy." Kurenai said, absolutely serious. "The test is tomorrow. Meet at Training Field 8 at 8 O'clock sharp. Dismissed."

The three genin got up and bowed to Kurenai before walking off, leaving Kurenai frowning in consternation at the retreating back of one Uzumaki Naruko.

'_I had better ask Hokage-sama about that gauntlet. I've never heard of a device that improves chakra control like that before._' Kurenai thought, unaware of the eavesdropping man who got up and wandered after her students.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Hokage's Office, Five Hours Later**

Kurenai's eyebrow was twitching rapidly in irritation. She, along with the Hokage and the rest of the Jonin-sensei's were waiting for the last member of their group, the infamous Hatake Kakashi, to arrive. He was infamous for arriving three hours late to anything but A-Rank-plus Missions or a meeting with the Hokage. In the latter's case he was instead only one hour late.

Kurenai hated the man, who almost _had_ to be a pervert, reading those smutty books in public as he did. She willingly admitted that his accomplishments during the Third Great Shinobi War and as an ANBU Captain were impressive and noteworthy, but the man himself was an awful avatar of deviant hobbies and bad habits. She only hoped that none of his genin picked any of them.

A puff of smoke signalled the arrival -_Finally_- of the errant Jonin, who greeted them all with a jaunty "Yo."

"Kakashi." the Hokage sighed, "I don't really mind if you are an hour late to a meeting when it's just me, but from now on, you **will** be on time of any meetings involving the Jonin-sensei's. Understood?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama." The silver-haired man replied in a monotone voice.

The Hokage looked at the former ANBU Captain for a moment, before sighing and spoke to the rest of the Jonin-sensei's. "Now that we are all finally here, I would like your impressions of your teams and how you think they might fare tomorrow."

The Jonin-sensei's for teams one through six were pessimistic about their teams' chances. One even questioned why they were even bothering to test all-civilian raised teams in the first place.

Finally, it was Kakashi's turn. "Sakura is a Fangirl, which is troublesome. She focuses almost exclusively on Sasuke, to the point of obsession. Kiba is arrogant, plain and simple. In addition, he is dismissive of Kunoichi in general. Sasuke is also arrogant and gives his teammates the cold shoulder, seeing them as beneath him. I highly doubt they will pass my test." The one eyed jonin said lazily as he turned a page in his book.

"I see… Asuma?" Sarutobi said, turning to look at his son.

"Choji is unmotivated by anything short of anyone calling him fat and he eats too much. Shikamaru, I suspect, is lazy but highly intelligent like the rest of his clan. Shino is quiet, to the point of rudeness. I suspect that his average marks at the academy, like Shikamaru's, are by design rather than lack of effort. I think they'll pass." Asuma said with a smile that made Kurenai blush slightly.

"Good. Kurenai?"

"My team is…interesting. Ino is a Fangirl, similar to Sakura, but not nearly as severe, I would say. There might be a point of contention with Naruko, but I think their friendship is too strong for it to be a factor. Hinata is shy and lacks confidence, but with Naruko's presence, I hope that will fade. Naruko is….hard to describe. She is loud, uninhibited and I believe she lacks discipline. However, from what I gathered, she is planning to take a stand against those who believe her to be the fox and she is very loyal to her friends. I believe my team will pass as well." Kurenai said with a small smile.

"Very well. Kakashi, Kurenai and Asuma, you three stay. Everyone else is dismissed to prepare for tomorrow." Sarutobi ordered. Once the rest of the Jonin had left, the old Hokage's face hardened into granite as he spoke.

"Kurenai, I have received word that one of your students is under threat of assassination."

"What?!" Kurenai's eyes flashed with anger, "Who?"

"Naruko. By the person we suspect to have been responsible for blowing up her former apartment building." Sarutobi replied gravely.

"Why haven't you arrested the culprit yet?" She asked.

"Because all we have are suspicions. A lot of damning circumstantial evidence, suspicious behaviour and secretive goings on, but nothing that solidly links our suspect to anything we think he did." Sarutobi replied.

Kurenai frowned. Technically, as sitting Hokage, Sarutobi was the military dictator of Konoha and able to do pretty much as he pleased.

On paper.

In _practice_, (most of) the civilian council dug its heels in stubbornly whenever the Sandaime infringed on non-shinobi matters.

Whereas the Shinobi council, who held far more power, had to be handled _just_ right, as several of them were ancient and powerful clans dating back to before Konoha's founding, such as the Hyuuga, whereas others were vital to the various areas of the Konoha Shinobi forces, such as the Kurama Clan (Genjutsu), the Inuzuka (Tracking and Taijutsu), the Aburame (Tracking), the Hyuuga (Tracking and Taijutsu), the Nara (Strategy), the Akamichi (Front-line fighters), the Yamanaka (Interrogation) and (before their destruction) the Uchiha (Ninjutsu).

All of these factors, in addition to the fact that Sarutobi was an old man who should still be retired, meant he could not act without cause.

"Who's the suspect?" She asked.

"Yamanaka Haruo. He was shadowing your team right up until you placed them in that genjutsu then went ahead to the Dango restaurant you mentioned. It is the ANBU's opinion he plans to ambush your team during their Genin test tomorrow." Sarutobi replied.

"He was shadowing them and I never knew it?" Kurenai was horrified. Was she useless as a jonin?

"Haruo is a skilled jonin who has specialised in infiltration and assassination, Kurenai. There is no need to feel inadequate as a jonin because a specialist managed to fool you." Sarutobi added, as if reading her mind.

"Right." Kurenai shook her head to clear it, "So, what's the plan to catch him?"

Sarutobi smiled predatorily, making the three Jonin shiver and make mental notes to _never_,_ ever _get on the bad side of Sarutobi Hiruzen. That smile promised _pain_.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**With Naruko**

**Former Toji Clan Home, Clan Residential District**

Naruko looked over the work her clones had done and smiled. The place was spotless and most definitely going *ping*. Not bad for another five hours of concentrated effort by fifty clones plus herself.

After Kurenai had dismissed them, Team 8 had split up because Ino had one last shift at her family's flower shop to do, while Hinata had to report to her father about who was on her team.

Naruko waved off Hinata's apologies and told her that obviously her father was going to want to know who was on his daughter's team, especially since Hinata was his heir.

Naruko had spent a couple of hours doing a bit of shopping. She had run low on shuriken and kunai so she had stocked up. She had also taken the opportunity to buy a brand new outfit. While she loved her orange jumpsuit for its practicality, durability and, most importantly, colour, she had decided that as an honest to kami ninja, not a student, a more subdued colour scheme was in order.

'_Hehehe…Ino-chan won't believe her eyes tomorrow._' Naruko thought smugly. Ino's complaints and rants about 'that accursed orange monstrosity' were legendary at the Academy.

The Academy….Naruko remembered Kurenai-senseis warning about what would happen to those who failed the True Genin Test. Her face contorted in a scowl. No. She absolutely would _not_ fail tomorrow. She had been lucky that her Ji-chan gave her a special pass to graduate due to her mastery of the _**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_. If she failed and got sent back, she had little doubt that there would be a rule stating that only the _**Bunshin no Jutsu**_ would be allowed.

Even although she could use the damn thing, she did not want to have to wait an entire year to prove she could accomplish what she thought of as the single most useless jutsu she had ever seen. Even her _**Orioke no Jutsu**_ was more useful than the basic _**Bunshin**_.

'_My family scrolls!_' Naruko remembered the two boxes she had put in her room last night, '_Maybe I'll find something in there that can help me!_'

Dispelling her clones in a hurry, Naruko made it two paces before an enormous influx of memories, ten hours worth from the first 30 clones and five hours worth from the 20 she had made when she arrived back from her first team meeting, giving her the mother of all headaches.

"OK, _that_ hurt. What the hell _was_ it?" Naruko muttered aloud once the searing pain disappeared. She could now remember cleaning the entire house from top to bottom and from multiple points of view….the points of view from her clones!

"No way…" she muttered in awe. She could remember everything her clones did? Was that even possible? She hadn't exactly read the part of the effect on the _**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_ other than how to perform it.

Deciding that she needed advice and to run a test whilst getting it, Naruko made another shadow clone and ordered it to go ask Iruka-sensei about the full details of what the _**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu **_could do.

Having temporarily sated her curiosity about her best jutsu, Naruko moved once again to investigate her family's scrolls. Once she reached her room, she frowned as she looked between the red box and the orange box.

'_Well, since my mother had red hair, I can guess that there might be family stuff in the red box. The orange one…I have no clue. I'll go with the red one for now._'

Decision made, Naruko lifted the lid off of the box and peered inside. The box was full of scrolls. There were about seven large ones, a couple of medium sized ones and several smaller ones. Secured atop one was a folded letter with her name on it.

Reaching out with a trembling hand, Naruko picked up the letter and turned it around to see who had written it.

'Uzumaki Kushina' was written on the back where a sender's name was usually written. Naruko gasped. A letter from her mother. Quite possibly the _only_ words she would ever read written directly to her from her mother.

Swallowing the lump that had suddenly appeared in her throat, Naruko unfolded the letter slowly and began to read it.

'_To my daughter Naruko,_

_As I write this, we have only just been told that you are a girl, so I can finally write down without tripping over gender-specific words. I hope that your father and I are sitting with you and laughing about your mother's paranoia during pregnancy, but this letter is written in the case that something goes wrong during the birth. _

_Therefore, I must assume that either I am dead and your father is alive, or that both of us are dead and you are alone, for which I am sorrier than you can imagine._

_To start then. My name is Uzumaki Kushina, the last of the Main Branch of the Uzumaki Clan, and I am proud to say that I am your mother. I have blood-red hair and blue eyes. When I was younger, people nicknamed me 'Tomato' because my face was quite round back then and my hair was so unusual. They regretted it though when I beat them up! I became a genin in due course, and I was quite the scrappy tomboy, so much so that my new nickname was 'The __Red Hot-Blooded Habanero'. __When I became a jonin, my exploits on the battlefield during the Third Great Shinobi War earned me a nickname I do not take much pride in: 'The Bloody Crimson Death'._

_The Uzumaki are related to the Senju Clan and have been allies for years. I was brought to Konoha for a very specific purpose: to become the container, or 'Jinchuruki' of the powerful Bijuu known as the Kyuubi no Kitsune._'

Naruko stopped reading, shocked. Konoha had brought her mother here to use as a damn container! How _dare_ they! Naruko gritted her teeth and kept reading, hoping something here would explain why.

'_The word 'Jinchuruki' is an old one, as old as the ninja world itself. It means literally 'The Power of Human Sacrifice'. Those that are called this have Bijuu sealed within them, mostly done as a newborn child. This is because as a newborn, a human has undeveloped chakra coils and so the Bijuus immense power cannot shatter and destroy the coils. Instead, the child's coils grow immensely due to the influence of the prisoner sealed within._

_We Uzumaki however are an exception. You may remember from history (You had better have paid attention!) that the wife of the Shodaime Hokage was an Uzumaki, my Great Aunt Mito in fact. After Senju Hashirama defeated Uchiha Madara at the Valley of The End, Mito-baa-chan used an Uzumaki Clan __Fūinjutsu to seal the Kyuubi, which had been under Madara's control, within her. She survived because our bodies make the perfect hosts for the tailed beasts._

_After a number of tests, Mito-baa-chan and the Shodaime concluded that the full weight of the Kyuubi's chakra was such that none but an Uzumaki could contain it, because of our immensely dense, powerful and unique chakra. Even then, only a select few from the main branch had the necessary chakra to be a host._

_Mito contained the Kyuubi through the First and Second Great Shinobi Wars unknown to the villagers of Konoha. Sadly, although the Uzumaki are known to be long-lived, Mito-baa-chan eventually felt that her life was to come to an end, so Sandaime-sama sent word to the home of the Uzumaki, Uzushiogakure, for someone to contain the Kyuubi before Mito-baa-chan passed away._

_I was chosen due to my extra dense and powerful chakra, but not told of why I was until some time after I arrived. Naturally, the thought of hosting the Kyuubi terrified me. Mito-baa-chan comforted me and once I was ready, the Kyuubi was sealed inside me._

_You might be wondering why I am telling you this, Naruko-chan, and I will tell you now. The entire reason I am writing this letter is because for a Jinchuruki, there is one time, and only one time, when the seal keeping the Bijuu weakens and that is only applicable for female Jinchuruki._

_Childbirth._

_During the nine months of pregnancy, the energy used to maintain the seal is instead directed towards the developing child, gradually weakening the seal until at childbirth, the seal is at it's absolute weakest point and the risk of the Bijuu breaking out actually becomes feasible._

_We are taking all possible precautions to prevent this of course. The Yondaime is going to be standing by to reform the seal immediately after childbirth, so the Kyuubi stands no chance of escaping. Minato is a superb Sealmaster. For a non-Uzumaki._

_However, as you are reading this, I must tell you now: you are, in all likelihood, the new Jinchuruki of the Kyuubi. If the Kyuubi escaped, the only way to stop it is to seal it within a new vessel: you. It could not be re-sealed within me, because when a tailed beast escapes or is extracted, it usually kills the former host. Uzumaki live for about two hours after extraction, to judge from Mito-baa-chan._

_I desperately do not want to have you bear the burden of a Jinchuruki, so I have insisted on every scenario be considered to ensure the fox stays put. If that old fool Sarutobi hasn't told you about the Kyuubi yet, give his family jewels a good kick and say that it was maternal payback from me._

_If you are the new Jinchuruki though, something must have happened that we did not consider. It won't be a problem with the __Fūinjutsu (because of Minato being there), nor will it be an issue with me bleeding to death during childbirth. Sarutobi Biwako, Sandaime-sama's wife, is the best midwife and med-nin in the world aside from Tsunade of the Sannin._

_If anything, I would say that someone interfered with the process. However, we will be guarded by several teams of ANBU whilst under a kekkai in a secret location, so I am actually at a loss as to how this could have happened._

_You should be a chunin when you read this, so I am sorry that you have not known of your family until now. The contents of this box hold the knowledge, history and jutsu of the entire Uzumaki Clan. I received it a couple of days after the destruction of Uzushiogakure from the personal summon of my father, the Uzukage (Eddy Shadow)._

_I had Minato store this box in a secret safe built into the wall of the Hokage's office, just in case. He is a bit of an idiot. He believes that the village would honour any child of mine regardless of whether it had the Kyuubi sealed in it or not. I am less trusting than he is._

_Now, I will give you the same advice that Mito-baa-chan gave me when she gave me the courage to become the Kyuubi's container._

_Fill yourself with love. It is the only thing that can counter the Kyuubi's chakra, which floods its host with negative emotions. Find someone, some_thing _to love and hold it close to your heart with both hands. Mito-baa-chan had Hashirama and I have your father. It worked for us and it will work for you._

_That is all I can tell you, my beloved daughter. The history of our clan, right up to the day of its near annihilation, is here for you to study. Our unique Ninjutsu, our Taijutsu, our Kenjutsu, all of it is for you and your descendents. In another box, coloured orange, is the Uzumaki's __Fūinjutsu__ library, although I would advise you to work through standard books on __Fūinjutsu before you so much as look at those._

_I also leave you my own sword, which served me faithfully throughout my career as a kunoichi. I called it Benihime (Crimson Princess), although others, mainly Shinobi from Iwa, Kumo and Kiri called it the '__Ryūketsu Shinigami' (Bloody Reaper). Whenever it changes hands, its name is wiped clean and the new owner must name it when it next takes a life._

_My daughter, you will live a hard, painful life and I wish I had been able to save you from it. Just know that your father and I love you with everything we have, even from death. When you make Jonin, you will receive another box like these two from your father. This must be frustrating for you, but I had many enemies who would seek to take revenge on you to get at me, even in death. Your father has even more enemies that would seek to do the same._

_With all my love,_

_Uzumaki Kushina_'

Tears fell from Naruko's eyes as she finished reading the letter her mother had left her. Thoughts swirled in her with alarming frequency, none able to surface to be heard in the raging tumult that was her mind at the moment.

Her mother had done everything she could to prevent Naruko from becoming a Jinchuruki, but it had failed for a reason that had somehow gotten past all of the preparations and precautions that the Yondaime and the Sandaime had arranged. Her mother had loved her. Loved her enough to risk _dying_ to give birth to her.

Wiping her eyes angrily, Naruko then carefully folded the letter up again and put it carefully on her bedside table. She then examined the box of scrolls and selected two from within it, then closed the box again.

She was then hit by an influx of memories from the clone she had sent to Iruka-sensei. Evidently, she could use the _**Kage Bunshin**_ to speed learn jutsu and improve her chakra control. Nice.

'_Don't worry mother. I _will_ make you proud. I'll live with everything I have, and prove those idiots in the village wrong. I am Uzumaki Naruko and _not_ the fox._' The last Uzumaki promised her deceased mother as she walked towards the training hall with purpose in her steps.

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**The Next Day, 07:55 AM**

**Training Field 8, Konohagakure Outskirts**

"Where is Naruko?" Yelled an irate Yamanaka Ino as she paced back and forth, constantly checking the position of the sun to tell what time it was. Standing a short distance away from the purple clad kunoichi was Hinata, poking her fingers together nervously.

"I-I'm sure she's…on her w-way, Ino-chan." Hinata said quietly. Ino swung around with an irate look on her face.

"She'd better be or I'll kick her ass!" Ino said dangerously, "No way am I going back to the academy because she damn well slept in!"

"Good thing I arrived just now then, eh Ino-chan?" said a voice from behind the blond Kunoichi, making her and Hinata jump in fright.

"Naruko!" Ino yelled in fury as she whirled around, "You scared me….to…" her voice faded as she took in the form of her teammate. Hinata gasped, squeaked out 'eep!' and turned redder than a tomato when she saw Naruko.

Instead of her usual orange jumpsuit, she was wearing a very interesting outfit. A tight black bodysuit that started at her neck and stopped at her thighs, a pale blue vest that did little to conceal her mildly impressive cleavage, a dull blue skirt and a dull red trench coat with a black hood adorned Naruko's body now. Black ninja sandals encased her feet. The right sleeve of the coat was missing and had a pair of black belts attached to the front and back of the coat and she had a beautiful gauntlet adorning her right forearm. Her hair was in its usual ponytail, with the hitai-ate tied across her forehead and under the ponytail's tie.

"N-Naruko?" Ino asked, stunned, "Is that really you?"

"In the flesh -dattebayo." Naruko grinned her foxy smile at her two friends, "Sorry for being late. I…didn't get much sleep, for more than one reason."

Hinata saw that Naruko's eyes were red and swollen. "Ano…Naruko-chan…you've been crying…w-what happened?"

Ino's eyes widened as she noticed this as well. "Naruko?" It was almost unheard of for the irrepressible, upbeat and stubborn girl to even show a hint of unhappiness. For _Naruko_ to have _cried_….

"I…" Naruko said in a shaky voice, "I found a letter from my mother that she wrote to me…in case she didn't survive the birth."

The two other kunoichi didn't hesitate to go up to Naruko and envelop her in a hug. Hinata had lost her mother when she was young and missed her desperately. Ino hadn't lost any of her close relatives that she had met, but shuddered at the very thought of losing her mother, whom she loved very much. Naruko returned their hugs with gratitude.

"Well, ain't this cosy, eh Nai-chan?" an amused voice said from behind the three genin. The three-way hug broke up and they saw Kurenai-sensei standing next to a woman dressed similar to Naruko, except more so.

She had purple hair in a pineapple-like style. Her bodysuit was mesh and her skirt was a dull orange. Not to mention shorter than Narukos. She wore shin-guards over her sandals and her trench coat was a dull tan.

"Indeed." Kurenai agreed with her mysterious companion, "It's good that they are close, isn't it Anko? They might _actually_ survive."

"Nothing better than smacking around genin fresh out of the Academy. So young, so innocent…such easy prey." The newly named Anko said with a mildly sadistic expression as she licked her lips slowly.

Ino was paling. "Anko…? As in _Mitarashi_ Anko? The Tokujo? Of ANBU T&I?" she squeaked out.

"That's me." Anko said with a grin, "Oh, I recognise you -you're Inoichi's brat aren't ya?"

"She is." Kurenai agreed, "That's Hyuuga Hinata over there."

"That stick-up-his-ass Hiashi's eldest?" Anko questioned as Hinata shrank back behind Naruko under the gaze of the older woman. "She's a mouse. You sure, Nai-chan?"

"Hey, quit picking on my friends' hebi-onna (snake woman)!" Naruko growled. Anko's face went rigid.

"And why do you call me that, gaki?" she said _very_ softly as she locked eyes with Naruko. Kurenai looked warily between the two kunoichi.

The whiskered girl snorted. "Because you _reek_ of snakes. Just like that ANBU who kept breaking into my apartment before some jackass blew it up."

Anko raised an eyebrow. "You can smell that?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm surprised everyone else can't. Seriously, I could track you across a damn jungle." Naruko said with a wrinkled nose.

Anko smirked as she slowly drew a kunai and began fingering it. "That's because I signed the snake summon contract, gaki. Only other shinobi who have signed a contract or very powerful ninja can sense that kind of thing. Which're you?"

"A summon contract? Never even seen one, so the second one I guess." Naruko smirked back. Ino and Hinata were crouched behind the red clad kunoichi like she was a shield.

"That a fact?" Anko asked, "Well, we'll see about that, eh Nai-chan?"

"Uh…yeah." Kurenai said, still trying to recover from the sudden lack of tension in the air, "Ahem. Today, as you know, is the real genin test. Your test…is to get Anko-chan here-" she waved at the evilly grinning kunoichi next to her, "-to drop her kunai."

The three genin looked blank for a moment. Then, Naruko spoke up warily, "So if she throws it at us, she loses?"

"Essentially." replied Kurenai.

"And she has no other kunai on her?" Ino further pressed.

"Nope." Anko replied cheerfully as she tossed her kunai pouch to Kurenai.

"Ano…Kurenai-sensei…are you trying to kill us?" Naruko said her face and voice completely deadpan.

Kurenai raised both eyebrows at this. "Why do you say that?"

"Ino-chan called her a Tokujo earlier. That means a Tokubetsu Jonin, which is only one rank under you-" Naruko said

"Oh, the chance would be a fine thing." Anko muttered, making Kurenai flush red.

"-and I'm fairly certain that new genin like us have only a slightly better chance against a jonin than a snowball in hell!" Ino finished, still pale.

"Tough kiddies. This is your test." Anko said seriously. "Either accept the mission or take off your hitai-ate's and scram. If you are given a mission that seems like suicide in the shinobi world when lives might be at risk, you do the mission, no questions. Weak resolves get you nowhere."

"In for a ryo…." Naruko muttered as she glanced to Ino and Hinata. "You two in? I'm not ready to bow to some crazy snake lady."

Anko's eye twitched at the nickname Naruko gave her.

"M-Me neither." Ino replied, taking heart from Naruko's confidence.

"L-let's do our best." Hinata nodded. Naruko turned back to the watching jonin.

"There you have it. Can we have time to make a plan first?" Naruko asked bluntly.

Anko and Kurenai just looked at them for a second before bursting out in laughter, prompting a tick mark to appear on both Naruko and Ino's heads.

"Oi! What the hell is so funny?" Naruko asked.

"You three…pass!" Kurenai gasped out, holding her aching sides with both hands.

As one, the three genin say, """Eh?"""

Anko grabbed her kunai pouch from where Kurenai had dropped it and strapped it back on. She then turned to explain the test to the genin.

"Y'see, there are a few important thing you need in a team. Individual abilities, teamwork, planning…all of those are important. But one of the most important is trust in your teammates."

Kurenai took over at this point. "If you don't trust your teammates, you can't make good use of your individual skills. You can't have any reasonable level of teamwork and any planning is useless without trust on the side of the planner and those who will carry out the plan."

She pointed at Ino. "I brought along Anko-chan here because I knew that Ino's father had told her stories about Anko at home, so Ino's resolve was shaken. She knew that Anko was above her weight class."

Kurenai then gestured at Hinata. "Anko is also very good at intimidating people from just looking at them. Hinata has very little self-confidence, so she was reduced to cowering behind Naruko, someone she trusts."

Anko jumped in again. "So the last one left was Naruko here. She took in Ino's information about my rank, my presence and stares and came up with the fact that they could not win, despite the handicaps we were throwing ya. A sensible conclusion to be fair, as I could whip all three of you at once without even trying. Therefore, I then tried to push you all into a decision by introducing a sudden death situation. Do or do not. Try or fail."

"The key was the fact Naruko instinctively trusted herself, as well as you two. She trusted that you would fight alongside her, without a second of doubt on her part. In turn, the trust she showed in you returned your confidence, Ino, Hinata. And your belief in and trust in Naruko helped you two do that." Kurenai finished with a smile.

The genin kunoichi looked at each other with growing smiles. They had passed! Ino suddenly glomped both Hinata and Naruko with a laugh.

"We did it!" she squealed in delight.

"Damn straight." said Naruko.

"H-Hai." Hinata stammered out, blushing furiously at being drawn so close to Naruko's face by Ino's hug.

Kurenai let the kids celebrate for a moment, before calling them to order. "Alright you three settle down." she called with a small laugh.

Once the three kunoichi had calmed down, Kurenai continued. "Now that you three are officially genin, we need to see where you skill wise, so you'll be sparing with Anko -no weapons, Anko! - and she'll tell you where you need to improve."

Naruko frowned slightly. "Kurenai-sensei, I already know that my taijutsu is pathetic. Can I skip this bit?"

Kurenai was surprised. From everything, she had heard Naruko would jump at the chance to show off in front of others. "Oh? And who told you that Naruko?"

"Sandaime-ji-chan. He said that Mizuki-teme sabotaged my taijutsu so it was full of openings and was unbalanced." Naruko replied, a slightly dark look coming over her face.

Ino was thunderstruck. "So, when all of us thought that you were getting personal instruction, he was making your taijutsu worthless? What a scumbag!"

Hinata was glaring at nothing in particular, which was intimidating on the face of a Hyuuga. Anko scowled and made a note to herself to _really_ go to town on the silver-haired bastard when she got back to T&I.

Kurenai merely frowned slightly. "Well that is certainly troublesome. You'll have to learn the Academy style from scratch."

"Actually, I'm planning on learning my Clan's taijutsu Style Kurenai-sensei." Naruko said happily, "I never felt comfortable with the Academy style, even before Mizuki-teme started messing with it."

"A Clan Style? You have a Clan?" Kurenai asked, surprised.

"Had, actually." Naruko corrected sadly, "The Uzumaki were all but wiped out at the start of the Third Great Ninja War. My mother was one of the few to escape the massacre by being in Konoha when it happened. She left me the Clan Archives and library, so the Uzumaki are still here, even if it's only me."

"Gaki, the only Uzumaki I remember being in Konoha after the War was Kushina-sama. You saying you're her kid?" asked Anko intently.

"Yep. I am proud to be the daughter of the Red-Hot Habanero." Naruko declared.

"Kami..." Kurenai breathed in awe. Before she could say or do anything else, she felt her body struck with a wave of chakra.

"What the…?!" she got out. All of the others felt it as well. Abruptly, Anko drew back her hand shakily and punched Naruko in the face, sending her to the ground.

"What the HELL Anko?!" Kurenai yelled.

"It's not me!" Anko yelled back, as she moved for another blow, "My body's doing it all on it's own!"

Ino's eyes widened as she kicked Hinata in the gut. "I know what this is! Daddy told me about it! It is a Yamanaka-Clan Jutsu, the _**Shinranshin no Jutsu! (Mind Destruction Jutsu!)**_"

Naruko stood up shakily and did a roundhouse kick to Kurenai. "Can you counter it?"

"I haven't even learned it yet!" Ino retorted just before Hinata backhanded her.

"Well, how does it work?" Anko grunted as she tried to stop herself from drawing a kunai and failed.

"Umm…I think it works by sending chakra into the opponents' nervous system." Ino said, desperately trying to remember the conversation she had had with her father about the advanced Clan Jutsu.

"Is that all?" Naruko asked as she shakily forced her arms to obey her, rather than the one acting as the puppet master, and formed the Ram Seal. The sudden explosion of chakra stunned all of them. Kurenai quickly realised what Naruko was doing. She was trying to force the invading chakra out by overwhelming it with her own.

"Stop Naruko! If you force that much chakra into your body, there's no telling what the damage could be!" She shouted.

"I…can…handle…it!" Naruko gritted out. Anko charged at Naruko with her kunai drawn back for a stab.

"If your gonna do something, _do it now_!" the Tokujo yelled as she thrust the kunai at Naruko.

{Slice}

Naruko dodged the kunai narrowly and rolled away from Anko quickly.

"Damn! That was _way_ too close." Naruko panted as she stood. As one, her friends and teachers bodies moved to attack her. Naruko dodged a couple of punches from Hinata, thankful that whoever was controlling Hinata couldn't make her use the _**Juken (Gentle Fist)**_ that the Hyuuga were so feared for.

"Enough of this! _**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!**_" Naruko shouted as she formed the seal before her. Instantly, thirty Naruko's swarmed over her unwilling attackers and bound their limbs with rope that Naruko unsealed from a scroll.

Temporarily safe from attacks, Naruko scanned the field as she drew a kunai. The person who used that jutsu had to be somewhere nearby and Naruko doubted that he'd give up as easily as that.

"_**Doton: Shinju Zanshu no Jutsu! (Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu!)**_" She heard before being dragged up to her neck in the earth. A black clad body leapt up and stood in front of her. He was wearing ANBU-style armour and a red Kitsune mask.

"Get him!" She ordered her clones, who charged the masked man with a roar. Meanwhile, she fruitlessly tried to free herself from her tomb. She couldn't make any handsigns and she only had one jutsu that could be used without handsigns.

Her clones were being wiped out, so she had to try it before they were gone and her friends and teachers were at the unknown attacker's mercy. She focussed on her chakra and kneaded it before opening her mouth at the attacker.

"_**Suiton: Teppōdama! (Water Style Liquid Bullets!)**_" She mouthed before firing three fast moving balls of water at the man, who had been taken off guard by the seal-less jutsu. He dodged one on pure reflex, but was struck on the mask and in the chest by the remaining two, sending him flying.

"Get me outta here!" Naruko ordered her two remaining clones and they hurriedly dug her out and pulled her up.

Meanwhile the other members of Team 8, plus Anko, having regained control of their bodies were struggling to get out of the bonds that Naruko's clones had tied them with. The _**Nawanuke no Jutsu (Rope Escape Jutsu)**_ was only working slowly and they were helpless to aid their friend/subordinate as she once more faced off against the man who attacked her.

The man had regained his footing and the Kitsune mask, badly damaged by the Teppōdama, was cracking and crumbling away to reveal…

"…Cousin Haruo?!" Ino yelped in shock.

Haruo ignored Ino and glared at Naruko. "How did you escape my trap, demon bitch?" He hissed at the Jinchuruki, "How?! You failed to graduate! Mizuki told me that himself!"

"Trap….? Wait, my house! You did that!" Naruko shouted, glaring at the man angrily. "I was in a meeting with my ji-chan, you bastard! And I graduated because Mizuki-teme went traitor and I kicked his ass! Just like I'm gonna kick _yours_ for attacking my friends!"

Naruko made the familiar handsign again, her anger getting so strong she instinctively added a word to her favourite jutsu.

"_**Tajuu Kage Bunshin No Jutsu! (Mass Shadow Clone Jutsu!)**_" She yelled. In a massive explosion of smoke, an entire army of Narukos surrounded the man. The original hand signalled some to free her speechless team.

Haruo looked around in shock. There had to be at _least_ a thousand clones in the clearing. Forcing himself to calm down, Haruo smirked at Naruko.

"These things may have beaten a weakling chunin like Mizuki, but I am a Jonin, demon bitch. I wont fall as easily as all that." he sneered at the red wearing kunoichi.

"Then it's a good thing she has a team!" Kurenai snarled as she stepped up next to Naruko, red eyes boring into the man who dared attack her student.

Anko stood on the other side of Naruko, a sadistic smile on her face as she played with a kunai.

Immediately behind Naruko, Ino and Hinata glared at Haruo.

Haruo feigned shock. "Oh, why didn't I think of that?"

A series of popping sounds signalled the arrival of outsiders to the battle. A spinning tornado cut through the clones and stopped at the side of Haruo, revealing a man also dressed in black ANBU-style armour and wearing a blue Kitsune mask.

A swirl of leaves revealed a man in white ANBU armour and a black Kitsune mask, who promptly fell into the standard kata of the _**Juken**_.

"You know, now I come to think of it - I did." Haruo sneered at Team 8.

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**Next Chapter: Clash! Team 8 vs. Kitsune Killers.**

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**Jutsu Lexicon**

**Any Jutsu with emboldened names are mine.**

Genjutsu Kai - Illusion Release

Rank: _Varies depending on genjutsu user attempts to dispel._

Type: _Supplementary_

Effect: _Stops the flow of chakra and apples an even stronger force to neutralise a genjutsu cast on ones self or another._

**Genjutsu: ****Sanran Ha Tabi no Jutsu -Illusion: Scattered Leaf Journey Jutsu**

Rank: C

Type: _Supplementary_

Effect: _The user disappears in a swirl of leaves similar to a Shunshin. The target is then led to believe that they are heading towards their intended destination, when in fact they are standing still and gazing into space. Mostly a delaying tactic._

**Genjutsu: Tōmei Manto no Jutsu (Illusion: Invisibility Cloak Jutsu)**

Rank: C

Type: _Supplementary_

Effect:_ Sounds more impressive than it actually is. Suggests to anyone within range that the user is not in fact there. Useless against the Byakugan._

Byakugan - White Eye

Rank: _Not a jutsu in itself._

Type:_ Offensive, Defensive, Supplementary_

Effect: _The Dōjutsu of the Hyuuga Clan. Allows the user to see through solid objects, a near 360-degree field of vision, telescopic sight and the ability to see chakra, the chakra flow, the chakra circulation system of a person and see chakra in colour. Especially strong users of the Byakugan can see the tenketsu, or chakra points. To seal these points means to prevent their opponent from using chakra._

Shinranshin no Jutsu -Mind Destruction Jutsu

Rank: B

Type: _Supplementary_

Effect: _By sending their chakra into the nervous systems of the targets, the user can control their bodies and force them to attack each other. Ideal for situations when you are outnumbered._

Doton: Shinju Zanshu no Jutsu - Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu

Rank: D

Type: _Supplementary_

Effect: _Drags the opponent up to their neck in earth, trapping them. Originally a torture jutsu._

Suiton: Teppōdama-Water Style Liquid Bullets

Rank: C

Type: _Offensive_

Effect: _Shoots a bullet of condensed water at the enemy. Impact is comparable to an actual bullet impact. Can be employed without outside water source. Multiple bullets can be shot at any one time._

Nawanuke no Jutsu -Rope Escape Jutsu

Rank: E

Type: _Supplementary_

Effect: _Various ways to escape while tied up by ropes._

Tajuu Kage Bunshin No Jutsu-Mass Shadow Clone Jutsu

Rank: A

Type: _Supplementary_

Effect:_ A kinjutsu. This variant of the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu creates hundreds of clones of the user. Unusable even by its creator, the Nidaime Hokage, this is now the signature jutsu of Uzumaki Naruko._


	4. Chap 4: Clash! Team 8 vs Kitsune Killers

**Authors Note: I received a guest review from a person called cormin12. He (or she) made several comments about this story. I will respond to quite a few of them by saying this: I am not Masaki Kishimoto. This is not Canon. This is ****Fan**** Fiction. As such, I can manipulate the Naruto world in whichever manner I please. The Naruto Wikia never says specifically ****when**** Uzushiogakure is destroyed, just that it was destroyed during the 'Three Great Shinobi War' Period.**

**Secondly, I created a civilian council as a plot device. I personally think that it greatly explains the amount of crap that Naruto (or in the case of my story, Naruko) put up with growing up. Once again, ****Fan**** Fiction. Artistic Licence. Whichever you prefer.**

**Finally, Naruko is not going to go all Mary Sue on you with character development, even with Kage Bunshin Training. The development will be in specific areas that she focuses in, but it will be a natural development.**

**Now this is the Harem, in order of being 'caught' by Naruko: Hinata, Ino, Ten-Ten, Sasame and Sakura. There is another I plan to add, but she is a secret. There is one more space on the Harem and it is your choice. Go to my profile and choose between FemHaku, Isarabi and Kin Tsuchi.**

**Now, ON TO THE FIC!**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine. I claim any OC's and original Jutsus. That is it.**

"Dattebayo!" -normal speech

'_Dobe_' -Thoughts

'{_Shannaro!}_' -Inner Sakura

"**Ningen****"**-Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Speech

'**Brat****'** -Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Thoughts

"_**Kage Bunshin!**_" -Ninjutsu/Genjutsu/Taijutsu move.

**Chapter 4: Clash! Team 8 vs. Kitsune Killers**

Kurenai frowned across the field at Yamanaka Haruo and his two accomplices. The tornado that one used to enter the field was definitely the _**Tsūga (Tunnelling Fang)**_ taijutsu move of the Inuzuka Clan, whereas the other one was in the ready stance of the _**Juken (Gentle Fist)**_ taijutsu style of the Hyuuga Clan.

"A Yamanaka, a Hyuuga and an Inuzuka." Anko noted. She was still playing with the kunai in her hands in an unconcerned fashion. Kurenai picked up the message Anko was sending her: Two clans who had suffered almost no casualties on the Day of the Kyuubi and one that had suffered moderate casualties.

'_The Inuzuka is probably having his rage and grief at his pack-mates being killed taken advantage of by the other two._' Kurenai thought as she drew a kunai, '_But who is actually pulling the strings here? Haruo? The Hyuuga? Or is it someone else? In any case, we have to take them prisoner to find out what they know and what they have done._'

"Surrender, Haruo. The Hokage knew well in advance that you would attempt to attack us here today." Kurenai called over to the man who had dared attack her team.

Haruo scoffed. "If he had evidence I had done something, I would be in T&I right now."

"Just because he had no evidence does not mean he did nothing to stop you." Kurenai fired back.

At that moment…

"HOWL, MY YOUTH!" bellowed a green blur as it crossed the field and dodged through Naruko's one-girl army, "_**DYNAMIC ENTRY!**_"

With a howl of pain, the presumptive Inuzuka was sent flying across the field by a mighty kick to the face that utterly shattered the mask he wore. The green blur responsible then moved on to the Hyuuga.

"_**Konoha Daisenkō! (Great Leaf Flash!)**_" The blur roared and turned from a streak of green into a spinning top that sent the Hyuuga flying as well, the mask hiding his identity smashed into pieces from a single, powerful kick. The blur then zoomed over and stopped next to Kurenai.

Finally able to see the true form of the blur, the three-genin kunoichi looked…and then wished they hadn't. The blur was a tall, muscular man in a green spandex leotard. He wore orange legwarmers and a red hitai-ate around his waist acting as a belt for some reason. He also had on a flak jacket that showed he was at least chunin rank.

The freakiest part about the man was his head. He had shiny black hair in a bowl cut and thick eyebrows that seemed to move with a life of their own.

Hinata blanched and was eternally grateful that she was a Hyuuga, and not an Uchiha, at that moment because the _**Byakugan**_ didn't have any memorisation capability like the_** Sharingan (Copy Wheel Eye)**_ had.

Ino's internal 'fashion disaster' alarm was ringing at top volume and she immediately forgave Naruko for having worn the orange jumpsuit in the past, as it was nowhere near as horrifyingly awful as the outfit she saw before her right now.

Naruko's face was utterly blank, echoed by her shadow clone 'Army-of-One'. She had worn a kill-me-now-orange jumpsuit that made her look like a walking traffic cone and she hadn't looked as bad as this person did right now. She immediately made a mental note to ask her Ji-chan to ban green spandex leotards from Konoha.

"YOSH! A most youthful day to you all!" the bushy browed man greeted Team 8 in an obnoxiously loud and exuberant voice, "I am glad to see that your youth has not been dampened by these most unyouthful of foes."

"Err…Kurenai-sensei….who is this guy?" Naruko asked, her eyebrow twitching slightly.

"My pardon! How unyouthful of me not to introduce myself!" the green clad man shouted before Kurenai could say anything, "I am known as Konoha's Sublime Green Beast of Prey, Maito Gai! May you be ever youthful, young one!"

"Uh-huh…right." Anko said, her own eyebrow twitching slightly now, "Listen Gai, could you handle the Hyuuga, while me and Nai-chan take care of the Inuzuka?"

"Who will take care of Haruo?" asked Kurenai. Anko gestured to Naruko, Ino and Hinata.

"You can't be serious! He's an assassination specialist!" Kurenai said, red eyes boring into her friends honey brown eyes.

"He's also out numbered kami-knows-how-many to one, Nai-chan." Anko pointed out, gesturing to the horde of Naruko's around them, "And I think Naruko-chan here could keep popping 'em out all day long."

Shifting her stance slightly, she put her game face (read: sadistic) on and looked at the genin. "Alright Gaki's. Here is your first A-Rank Mission as a team: capture Yamanaka Haruo alive. Break his arms and legs if you have to, but he has to be alive, got it?"

"Hell yeah! I owe this guy some payback for destroying my old home and making Ino-chan and Hinata-chan hurt each other!" Naruko growled as she drew a kunai.

Ino nodded. "No-one blows up my friends house and gets away with it! Besides, my cheek is still sore from Hinata-chan's backhand."

"G-gomenasai, Ino-chan." Hinata said as she shifted to an aggressive _**Juken**_ stance, "b-but my stomach is also still sore f-from your kick."

"You owe me some red bean soup and I'll stand you a few at the bakery that makes your favourite cinnamon buns, OK?" In said as she drew a kunai as well.

"Yosh! Kurenai-san, your genin are most youthful!" Gai said exuberantly, "I shall burn my youthful flames to equal theirs or I shall run a hundred laps around Konoha on one hand!"

"Right. Let's just kick their asses already." Anko said as she ran to where the Inuzuka was getting up, swearing like a sailor.

"Indeed. Let us display our Flames of Youth for all to see!" shouted Gai as he ran to intercept the Hyuuga before he could rejoin Haruo.

Kurenai sighed. Oh hell. Looking at her so-new-they-still-squeak team, she read the determination in their faces. "Be careful." was all she said before rushing to join Anko.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**With Gai**

"Stand aside. The demon vessel must be slain." the Hyuuga said in a monotone. He was of the Main Family, Gai could see from his unmarked forehead. He was probably in his mid-twenties.

Gai frowned. "This is most unyouthful of you. Young Naruko is not the fox, she is the container of it."

"Indeed." Agreed the Hyuuga, surprising Gai slightly, "I have observed the seal with my _**Byakugan**_. It is utterly impossible for the Kyuubi to break out."

"Then why do you do this?" asked Gai as he slid smoothly into his _**Gōken**_ stance.

"Her very presence corrupts and taints the sanctity of Hinata-sama." The Hyuuga replied, a hint of disgust in his voice. He also slid into his ready stance, that of the _**Juken**_.

"Nonsense." Gai said dismissively, "If anything Naruko's presence causes Hinata-sama's youthful flames to reach new heights."

"It would seem we are at an impasse." Observed the Hyuuga as he tensed his body for combat.

"So it would seem." agreed Gai. The air around the two of them was thick and dense, with both chakra and tension.

A solitary leaf fluttered between the two and slowly drifted down to the ground between the two ninja. As it touched the ground, it was ripped into shreds by the clash between the two opposing taijutsu styles.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**With Kurenai and Anko**

"Outta the way!" The Inuzuka growled, "I'm gonna rip the fox into pieces and feed them to it which she's still breathing!"

"Hmmm…not imaginative enough." Anko said critically, "It's been done before."

"Anko," Kurenai said with a sweatdrop, "I don't think you should be critiquing him on his torture methods!"

"Y'think?" Anko asked with a pout, "But Nai-chan, everything he suggests is sooo boring! No imagination at all!"

"Oi!" Yelled the Inuzuka, looking offended. Anko ignored him.

Kurenai sighed and looked at the Inuzuka. "Naruko isn't the fox. She is the fox's jailer."

"I don't _give_ a crap!" The Inuzuka snarled back, "If _she_ dies, the _fox_ dies. It's as simple as that."

"Then why isn't your ninken here with you?" Anko asked pointedly, making the brash man flinch, "He refused to come because he knew you were wrong, jackass."

"_**Tsūga!**_" The Inuzuka yelled as he attacked.

"Idiot." Anko said as she dodged to the side.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Back with the Genin and the Naruko Army….**

"One chance, Yamanaka Haruo. Surrender." Naruko said flatly.

"Or what? Your little army will _prank_ _me_ to death?" Haruo scoffed dismissively, "You are no ninja, demon bitch. You have a couple of tricks, but that doesn't make you a ninja."

"She's no traitor like you are at least!" Ino shouted at her distant cousin, "She's never attack fellow Konoha Ninja like you did with the _**Shinranshin no Jutsu (Mind Destruction Jutsu)**_!"

"You don't know what you're talking about, brat." Haruo growled.

"Illuminate me." Ino challenged him.

Haruo chuckled darkly. "No can do. It's an S-Rank secret, punishable by an _extremely_ painful death if revealed. Besides, I'm a loyal ninja of Konoha."

"Tch. Yeah right!" muttered, Ino, as her mind raced. S-Rank? Naruko had done something that deserved that high a secrecy classification?

"Ino-chan, ignore him." Naruko said firmly. "He's spewing poison because he knows that he's finished, 'loyal ninja of Konoha' or not."

"N-Naruko-chan's right." Hinata said, "W-we should capture him before he tries anymore Yamanaka Clan Jutsu."

"Right." Ino said shaking her head to clear it. What was she thinking, listening to the taunts of the enemy? She gripped the kunai she held in her hand tighter. She was about to charge the traitor to her clan when a Naruko-clone leaned in to whisper into her ear.

"We clones will be the cannon fodder. We are far more easily replaced than you or Hinata-chan." the clone whispered.

A shiver went down her spine as the clone's whispered words tickled her ear. '_What the heck?_' she thought with a small blush.

"Alright, first wave: Attack!" Naruko commanded. A hundred clones charged forward at the Yamanaka jonin with a roar.

Haruo beat off clone after clone with punches and kicks. When only a small group remained, he flipped through some handsigns.

"_**Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu! (Fire Style: Grand Fireball Jutsu!)**_" He said as he raised his hand to his mouth and shot a fairly large ball of fire at the clones, destroying them.

Naruko stood with her arms crossed and her head cocked to one side, watching the jonin. Finally, she said, "You know, for a jonin, you aren't as…_fast_…as I would have thought."

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**With Gai**

The two combatants separated from their clash, the Hyuuga being thrown back by a snap kick to the jaw, while Gai leapt back gracefully to land in his original pose again.

Spitting out some blood, the Hyuuga got to his feet, his eyes narrowed. "Who _are_ you? The _**Juken**_ is the supreme taijutsu style in all of Konoha, if not the world, yet you dodge my blows as if they were nothing." he said angrily.

"I am Maito Gai, the acknowledged Taijutsu Master of Konoha." Gai said seriously, "I am also Jonin-sensei to the Hyuuga Prodigy, Hyuuga Neiji, thus my knowledge of the _**Juken**_ surpasses that of any other non-Hyuuga."

"The Branch House whelp." The Hyuuga sneered, "Well, we shall see how you fair when I am using this: _**Byakugan!**_"

Settling into a more aggressive stance, the Hyuuga said, "I am Hyuuga Arashi of the Main Family. Prepare to die."

Shaking his head sorrowfully, Gai said, "You are most unyouthful. It seems I must beat some youth into you."

"Try if you can." The Hyuuga said scornfully before the two blurred into motion once again.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**With Anko and Kurenai**

When the Inuzuka stopped spinning and landed after his _**Tsūga**_, Anko was ready with a favourite technique of hers.

"_**Sen'eijashu! (Striking Shadow Snakes!)**_" Anko hissed, thrusting her arm out. Four snakes emerged from her sleeve, wrapped around the Inuzuka and sank their fangs into him.

"AAARRRGGGHHH! Snake Whore!" The Inuzuka snarled, "_**Tsūga!**_"

The desperation move worked, shredding the snakes into pieces, but ripped the wounds from the snake fangs open in the process.

"That's it. Keep moving." Anko crooned at the panting man, "The more you move, the faster the _venom_ in your blood will spread."

"You _did_ remember to use non-lethal venom didn't you?" Kurenai asked suspiciously.

"Of _course_ I did Nai-chan!" Anko retorted indignantly, then paused, "At least…I _think_ I did…meh. As long as we get him the antivenin, he'll be fine."

"Damn you!" The Inuzuka roared, "How dare you treat Inuzuka Shippo like this! _**Tenga!(Cutting Fang!)**_" He spun vertically this time rather than on his horizontal axis, becoming a giant buzz saw aimed at Anko.

She quickly _**Kawarimi'd (Substituted)**_ with a nearby branch and was interested to see the branch reduced to so much sawdust.

Turning to Kurenai with a forced smile on her face, Anko said, "Nai-chan, a bit of help here?"

"The things I do for you Anko…" Kurenai sighed as she weaved handsigns.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Back with Naruko….**

Haruo raised an eyebrow, "Say what?"

"Either you're holding back or you plain suck as a jonin." Naruko said insultingly. "You were barely moving faster than my clones and while that fireball was way bigger than anything Sasuke-teme ever did, it was still _far _from the biggest I've ever seen."

"Who made a bigger _**Gōkakyū**_ than mine?" Haruo asked, insulted.

"Sandaime-ji-chan." Naruko said. "He took me to his personal training field once as a birthday treat and showed me some of his favourite jutsu. The _**Gōkakyū**_ was one of them and his was twice the size of yours, at _least_."

Ino and Hinata looked awed. The Third Hokage was reputed to know every non-Kekkei Genkai Jutsu in Konoha. It was one reason why he was nicknamed 'Hakase' (Professor). To be shown some of his best jutsu was a tremendous honour, and he had done it as a treat for a little girl's birthday?

"Damn brat!" Haruo growled and started to run at the red clad kunoichi.

"Second wave, now!" Naruko commanded. A hundred shadow clones formed up in front of their original and her team and each threw either kunai or shuriken at Haruo, then clapped their hands.

"_**Futon: Reppūshō no Jutsu! (Wind Style: Gale Palm Jutsu!)**_" The hundred Shadow Clones chanted, causing a massive blast of wind to erupt from their hands. It swept towards Haruo and impacted on the weapons, speeding them up considerably.

"Shit! _**Doton: Doryūheki no Jutsu! (Earth Style: Mud Wall Jutsu!)**_" Haruo yelped in surprise as he slammed his hands on the ground, causing a section of the ground to erupt upwards in front of him just in time to block the incoming rain of metallic death. Haruo gulped when he heard the shuriken and kunai thud into the wall, as well as the fierce wind blowing over the wall.

'_That makes two elemental jutsu she's used now, and she used the first one without any handsigns! Where the _hell_ did she learn them?_' The jonin thought frantically.

Naruko's team were asking their teammate the same thing.

"Oh, those? Part of my inheritance was a Jutsu Library. Last night, I was up late practicing those two jutsu with a couple of hundred _**Kage Bunshin**_, which lets me learn things faster, sorta. Anyway, I only have those two down, so we'll have to get serious now." Naruko said with a slight frown.

"That seemed plenty serious to me." Ino said looking at the earth wall studded with weaponry.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**With Gai**

The two battling ninja moved so gracefully that, were it not for the fact that they were trying to do serious harm to one another, it might even be called a work of art.

Kicks were lashed out, only to be dodged or blocked. Punches were countered, jabs were exchanged, all taking place at a speed that most shinobi would find hard to match for any length of time.

The two combatants separated once again, with the Hyuuga looking frustrated.

'_How can this be? I cannot close a single one of his tenketsu. It's almost like fighting Hiashi-sama; he knows precisely how I'm going to move even as I decide to do it._' Hyuuga Arashi thought angrily, '_Fine. He leaves me no choice._'

Gai, on the other hand, was enjoying himself immensely. '_Ah, now this is most youthful! A clash of warriors fighting for dominance over the other! I should really challenge my eternal rival to another match soon._'

Elsewhere, Hatake Kakashi shivered as he had a bad feeling Gai was thinking about challenging him to another 'youthful contest'.

"Stubborn, aren't you?" Arashi said as he glared at the spandex-clad ninja.

"I have been called such before by unyouthful people such as you." Gai conceded.

"Humph. You would do well to stand aside now; else you shall not live to regret your defiance." Arashi said pointedly.

"_That_ I doubt." Gai chuckled humourlessly, "Such words have been spoken to me by _far _more fearsome foes than you, and yet here I stand."

"They were not of the Hyuuga Clan." Arashi said arrogantly. "Now…you are within range of my divination." The Hyuuga adopted a low stance with a hand extended before him and the other arched behind him.

"_**Jūkenhō: Hakke Rokujūyon Shō! (Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams, Sixty-Four Palms!)**_" Arashi said coldly as he began the signature attack of the Hyuuga Main Branch…

…..Only for his foe to vanish from his sight! Arashi could not believe it. The man he had been about to trounce with his best technique had simply vanished without a trace! Arashi pushed his _**Byakugan**_ to the very limit of its range, but found no sign of his opponent anywhere within ten kilometres in any direction, which should be impossible! Only the Yondaime Hokage had ever moved such a distance in less time than it took to blink!

"YOUTH!" Gai roared as he erupted from the ground beneath Arashi and grabbed him around his waist.

"What the-?" Arashi got out before he was thrown to the ground and pinned there.

"_**Jibun Rūru! (One's Own Rule!)**_" Gai roared as he head butted the Hyuuga in the stomach.

"If I can't do 100 push-ups in five seconds…Cossack dance time!" The spandex-clad ninja declared. Moving so fast he blurred, pushing up and down with incredible speed, head butting the Hyuuga in the stomach every time he lowered himself.

"VICTORY!" Gai celebrated. He had succeeded in his self-appointed challenge! Then he noticed his 'training partner' staggering to his feet clutching his stomach. Grinning with those shiny teeth of his, he spun in a miniature twister.

"_**Konoha Seishun **__**Ekusasaizu! (Leaf Youth Exercise!)**_" Gai yelled enthusiastically as he kicked the still recovering Hyuuga with the full force of his muscles _and_ the centrifugal force of the spin, sending him crashing into a tree, blissfully unconscious.

The spandex clad ninja wiped off the remains of dirt from his jumpsuit. It had been a while since he had used ninjutsu. His _**Doton: Moguragakure no Jutsu (Earth Style: Hidden Mole Jutsu)**_ was the perfect way to sneak up on a Hyuuga. Rather than a perfect sphere as most would believe, the _**Byakugan**_ only gave them a large 'dome' of sight, most of that directed to the sky and 360-degrees around them, leaving only a small amount of sight beneath the earth, reaching perhaps three feet down at most. A glaring weakness and one that the Branch Family was well aware of. Evidently, The Main Family was unaware of this weakness.

"Hmmm." Gai regarded the defeated form of his opponent with a slight frown, "I _may_ have overdone it _just_ a touch…"

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**With Anko and Kurenai**

"_**Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu. (Demonic Illusion: Death Mirage Jutsu.)**_" Kurenai whispered as she completed her handsigns.

To Shippo, she vanished in a swirl of leaves. He looked around groggily as he felt himself getting weaker. The venom in his body was beginning to affect his body more and more, making his head spin. He had to wrap this up quickly.

Suddenly the world turned red. Blood appeared on the ground, next to dead bodies, ones he recognised easily as they bore the fang-tattoo marks of the Inuzuka on their faces. Shippo looked around in horror, seeing the entire Inuzuka Clan, ninken and all, lying dead around him, cut to pieces.

The shock of his worst fear, the one thing he fervently wished to never see, combined with the venom Anko's snakes had injected into him was too much for him. Shippo's last thought before he fell into unconsciousness was '_I really hate genjutsu, damn it…_'

As Inuzuka Shippo collapsed, Kurenai was grateful for the fact. The look of sheer broken despair on his face at whatever it was he saw under the genjutsu's effect had been startlingly bleak. Then again, she had never used this particular genjutsu on an Inuzuka before, so Kurenai supposed that this was useful information.

Anko tied the comatose Inuzuka up with some escape-proof rope she carried around with her on the off chance of something like this happening. The T&I kunoichi grinned at her friend.

"Boy, am I glad that you asked me to help with your genin Nai-chan. I haven't had this much fun in a long time!" Anko said with relish.

Kurenai rolled her eyes. "Only you would find being attacked by two jonin and a chunin with the intent of killing one of your students fun."

Anko looked serious for a moment. "I think they were going to try and kill all of us, Nai-chan. There's no way that the other two gakis would stand by and let their friend's death go un-avenged and you and me would be right there next to 'em, you know that."

Kurenai frowned and conceded the point to her friend. "I suppose.."

She was interrupted by the incoming green blur that was Maito Gai. He appeared with his usual shiny grin and had a beaten and battered Hyuuga in one hand.

"Kami, Gai, don't you think you when just a _little_ overboard on him?" Kurenai said as she massaged her temples to try to stave off the incipient headache she had.

Gai smiled somewhat sheepishly and opened his mouth to say something, when a howling gale of wind blew past the three jonin, staggering them.

"What the hell was that?" asked Anko as she smoothed her ruffled trench coat back into its usual appearance.

"It came from were the children are fighting Haruo." Kurenai said, worry in her voice.

"I am sure they are doing most youthfully well, Kurenai-san!" Gai boomed in his 'nice guy' pose, "Let us go and observe their youthful flames explode!"

"Uh-huh, yeah, whatever." Anko said absently as she tied up the Hyuuga. Not that the guy was going anywhere, as badly beaten as he was. He would need a quick trip to the hospital before he could be interrogated.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**With Naruko and Friends**

Haruo decided that enough was enough. The damn demon bitch had made him look stupid in the last two minutes and he was getting worried about his compatriots. He was neither as insular and arrogant as Arashi, nor as stupid and brash as Shippo. He knew who and what Maito Gai was. While he was confident in his own skill enough to face a freshly promoted Jonin and the Snake Whore at once, he was not stupid enough to face an Elite Jonin on top of that.

He just hoped Arashi could hold out until he did what needed to be done. Haruo formed the Tiger Handsign and began gathering and compressing chakra for the jutsu that he hoped would slay the demon bitch for once and for all.

Naruko could feel the chakra being built up by Haruo. There was so much of it that the hairs on the back of her neck were standing up. It wasn't anywhere near Kage level, but it was becoming dense enough that it made up for its lack of quantity with its quality.

"Take Hinata-chan and Ino-chan a safe distance away from here!" Naruko ordered some of her clones, voice sharp with tension.

"No way!" Ino protested, "We're a team! We'll fight this guy together, Naruko!"

Ignoring Ino, Naruko looked at Hinata. "Hinata-chan, what's that guy doing with his chakra?"

Hinata paused then said, "_**Byakugan!**_" and looked in the direction Haruo's _**Doryūhek**_i was and gasped. "H-He's concentrating his chakra-in his lungs. I-I think it's fire-natured!"

"That's why you need to get out of here!" Naruko said to Ino urgently, but she could tell from the set of her jaw that the stubborn Yamanaka wouldn't budge willingly. Nodding to her Shadow Clones, Naruko turned away as Ino and Hinata were bodily picked up and carried away, despite their protests, by several of them.

Just as the group of shadow clones reached the edge of the field, Haruo roared the name of his best jutsu as he used it.

"_**Katon: **__**Gōryūka no Jutsu! (Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Jutsu!)**_" Came from behind the earth wall before it was blown apart by an enormous ball of flames shaped like a snarling dragon.

It sped at Naruko's location with impressive speed, burning the grass up to three meters away as it passed.

The dragon burned through Shadow Clones as they attempted to block it until it finally reached where Naruko stood impassively, whereupon it exploded on contact with the earth, creating a huge blast that sent heat across the entire field.

"NARUKOOOOO!" Hinata and Ino screamed in horror at having witnessed their teammates burned to a crisp before them. Around them, the mass of Naruko-clones dispersed in puffs of chakra smoke.

The three jonin watching were horrified at the sight of the pyre that was where Naruko once stood.

Haruo, on the other hand, stood up shakily. He had used up _far_ too much chakra using that Katon jutsu and knew he would not get away. Nevertheless, it would be worth it. He had finally done it!

"Aha…ahahahahahahahahaha!" Haruo laughed hysterically, "I did it! The demon bitch is dead! Not even her bones remain! Ahahahahaha!"

Ino and Hinata charged at the man who so ruthlessly slain their teammate and dared to insult her even in death. Ino tried to kick him, but Haruo caught her leg and threw her away dismissively.

Hinata, who had instinctively activated her _**Byakugan**_ in her rage, snarled out the traditional start of the 'Hyuuga Final Move' declaration that Arashi had used not five minutes ago, even as she assumed the same position he had.

"You are within range of my divination! _**Jūkenhō: Hakke Sanjūni Shō! (Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams, Thirty-Two Palms!)**_" Hinata growled out, making Haruo's eyes widen in surprise. According to the scuttlebutt around town, as well as Arashi, the Hyuuga Heiress was unskilled in the family art and had not been taught anything more than the basic katas as a result.

"_**Ni**__**shō! (Two Palms!)**_" Yelled Hinata, striking at Haruo's forearms, sealing the _tenketsu_.

"_**Yon**__**shō! (Four Palms!)**_" Two more consecutive strikes across the chest.

"_**Hachi**__**shō! (Eight Palms!)**_" Four strikes to the abdomen.

"_**Jūrokushō! (Sixteen Palms!)**_" Eight strikes to the upper legs and arms.

"_**Hakke, Sanjūni **__**Shō**__**! (Eight Trigrams, Thirty-Two Palms!)**_" Hinata screamed as she dealt the last sixteen blows all across the man's body, the sheer force of the chakra blasting him back slightly.

'_D-Damn! I can barely feel my arms and legs! I can't channel chakra at all!_' Haruo thought angrily as he fell to his knees.

Hinata, panting at the effort, glared at Haruo. "Why…? Why did you kill her?!" she demanded harshly, tears flowing freely. Ino walked up beside her, eyes damp with tears, and put a comforting hand on her shoulder

"She deserved to die!" Haruo spat back, "She killed my mother twelve years ago!"

"SHE WAS JUST A BABY THEN, YOU FOOL!" Hinata screeched back, incensed by the man's seeming stupidity. She raised her hand to deliver the final blow, when a loud screaming sound reached her ears. It sounded strangely familiar.

"….AAAAAGGGHHHH! I'mgonnadie, I'mgonnadie!" could be heard across the entire field but, Hinata couldn't see anyone. She jumped when Ino's hand suddenly tightened painfully on her shoulder.

"Look!" The Yamanaka shouted as she pointed at the sky. Hinata whirled around and used the telescopic vision of her _**Byakugan**_ to zoom in on a rapidly falling dot in the sky.

"Naruko…?" Hinata breathed hopefully.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**With Naruko**

Uzumaki Naruko, albeit somewhat burnt and sooty, was perfectly fine. If you could call plummeting to her death from kami-knows-how-high in the sky 'fine'.

'_Yeah…_really_ got to work on my chakra control…and on my impulsiveness…before it kills me…if I survive this…_' Naruko thought in a surprisingly calm way, even as she screamed her plentiful lungs out, as she thought back to a coupler of minutes ago.

_{Flashback}_

_Naruko had her arms crossed as she watched the incoming fireball that Yamanaka Haruo had fired at her approach. She noted, almost distantly, that such was the heat of the __**Gōryūka**__ that her clones were being destroyed even as it touched them._

'Well, this is a pickle._' Naruko thought clinically, '_None of my jutsu will work on this thing. Heck, the _**Reppūshō **_will just make it worse. It's way too fast and big to dodge either. What should I do here?_'_

_Naruko frowned slightly before she had an idea. '_Wait. Ji-chan told me once that channelling chakra to your limbs makes them much stronger, but you need to have good chakra control or you can rip your muscles and tendons apart._'_

_Weighing her choices for a split second -Get burned to ash or possibly not be able to move for a while until the damn fox heals her up- Naruko chose the obvious one._

'Here goes nothing!_' she thought as the burning hot aura of the powerful jutsu washed over her. Waiting until the last possible second, Naruko squatted, channelled as much chakra to her legs as she could, and then jumped up with all her strength._

_She moved in a red blur that none of the others on the field saw as they had been focussing on the __**Gōryūka**__ before it impacted on where she had been standing. Her chakra was so disturbed by sudden shift that her clones were dispelled. She flew high up into the sky, out of the sensor bubble that detected all things coming into Konoha and up further into the sky._

_Her legs burnt with pain beyond anything that Naruko had felt during her training, so she guessed that she had indeed damaged her muscles somewhat._

_That could wait until later. The more important thing right now was to stop going higher, or she might die once she came back to earth. She discarded several possible ideas involving __**Kage Bunshin**__ before hitting on an idea that might work._

"_**Futon: Reppūshō!**__" Naruko said, deliberately using more chakra than she needed to use in the jutsu. The result sent her falling back to earth like a cannon shot._

"_AAAAAGGGHHHH! I'mgonnadie, I'mgonnadie!" She screamed as the training field came into sight once again._

_{Flashback End}_

'_Maybe I should have tried just the regular amount of chakra._' Naruko thought as she fell further towards the field. Definitely something to think about if this happens again. Naruko peered at the field intently.

Naruko's eyes, while not telescopic like the _**Byakugan**_, were still very sharp so she could see the field fairly well by this point, including the people in it. She focussed on the amazing sight of kind, gentle Hinata beat Haruo up with the taijutsu move she had been struggling to learn in secret, so she could impress her father.

She screamed again and saw her teammates turn to look at her. She thought that they had been crying, which was sad. She was certain that Ino was going to kick her ass when she got down, maybe Hinata and Kurenai-sensei as well.

Naruko's eyes widened as she saw Haruo attempt to stand up. He was shaking off the effects of Hinata's _**Hakke Sanjūni Shō**_ _already_? That shouldn't be possible. It might not be as strong as the _**Rokujūyon **__**Shō**_, but the lesser version was still debilitating enough to disable a jonin-level ninja for at least half an hour, or so Hinata said she had read in the scroll.

Deciding that the how of the matter was unimportant for now, Naruko decided to take the bastard out before he tried to hurt her friends again. Making a pair of shadow clones, she had them throw her feet first at Haruo, followed by a _**Futon: Reppūshō**_ to speed her up a bit.

"Ino, Hinata, MOVE! NOW!" she roared as she started spinning like an Inuzuka.

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**With Hinata and Ino**

When Hinata heard Naruko talk to her, she was giddy that she was still alive. When Naruko addressed her without honorifics, she almost fainted. But when Naruko ordered her to move in that tone of voice, she moved without even thinking about it, grabbing Ino and jumping to the side.

She saw Naruko start to spin in a similar fashion to the Inuzuka Clan technique _**Tsūga**_ and wondered why. Then Naruko's voice resonated over the field.

"_**Uzumaki Taijutsu Ougi: **__**Uzumaki Tenkyaku! (Uzumaki Taijutsu Secret Technique: Spiral Heaven Kick!)**_" Was heard by everyone just before the spinning form of Naruko slammed into its target -Yamanaka Haruo, who had just made it to his feet and drawn a kunai.

Totally unprepared for the sudden impact, Haruo was caught in the chest by the kick, which had had it's power increased by the throw of the clones, the _**Reppūshō**_ and the spin, so it was not surprising that the man was sent flying back across the field to slam into a tree, which cracked under the impact.

Naruko, on the other hand, had kicked off of Haruo just before he slammed into the tree and had landed somewhat awkwardly on the ground. Panting with the exertion, she looked up as her other team members ran over, along with her two senseis and the weird man in spandex.

"H-Hey." Naruko said with a pained smile. Her legs were really sore right now.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?!" Ino shouted at her angrily, fresh tears falling from her eyes as relief made itself known, "You damn well almost died! What were you thinking?!"

"T-That you should have run when I had told you." Naruko said bluntly, a grimace crossing her face as she tried -and failed- to stand up., "If you'd moved as soon as I told you to, I would have been able to do something other than almost die there."

"Brat's got a point." Anko said offhandedly, "In a battle, you should obey the leader without question."

"There was no leader!" Ino protested shrilly. "We're all genin."

"Naruko was the one to do almost all of the fighting and all of the strategy." Anko replied looking at Naruko, who was visibly trembling now, "Right, gaki?"

"I…I guess so." Naruko grunted as she gave up trying to stand and instead flopped on her behind. Her red trench coat was singed at the edge of the bottom, but not much further than that. "I didn't really have an overall strategy other than 'beat him all to hell' though."

"Doesn't matter, you were the leader." Anko said decisively as she turned to regard Ino with hard eyes, "She told you to do something because she sensed the chakra build-up for the _**Gōryūka**_. She even had your teammate tell you that a dangerous jutsu was about to be launched at her and you still refused to obey her, meaning she had to waste precious seconds to get you both to safety."

Ino's face paled. "But-"

"No buts. Yes, the brat did something reckless and stupid, but you did something moronic: you let your pride rule in the middle of a battle." Anko said mercilessly.

Kurenai walked over from where she had been securing Haruo. "Alright, that's enough, all of you. We can continue this at a later time. For now, we need to get these three traitors to holding cells and these three genin to hospital."

Naruko paled more than Ino. "Aw no, not hospital!" she whined, "I hate it there!"

"Then you can consider it punishment for doing whatever it is you did that damaged your legs to the point you can barely move." Kurenai told her bluntly.

"I shall take our most unyouthful prisoners to the ANBU." Gai said, doing his 'nice guy' pose yet again, "And Naruko…I shall come to talk to you about that most youthful attack you just performed. You truly are full of the Flames of Youth!"

With those words, he vanished in a Shunshin, taking with him the three trussed up ninja, and leaving behind one horrified Uzumaki Naruko.

"AAARRGGHH!" She yelled, "Hospital _and_ Mr Super Bushy-Brows? Someone kill me now!"

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**Next Chapter: En'ō Kago-te, Secrets Revealed**

**Authors Note: That's it. Read and Review Please!**

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**Jutsu Lexicon**

**Any Jutsu with Emboldened names are one I created.**

_Any Jutsu with their Name in Italic are computer game jutsu that I have borrowed and given a rank. I claim no jutsu so highlighted as my own._

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Tsūga - Tunnelling Fang

Rank: D

Type: _Taijutsu, Offensive_

Effect: _After using the __Shikyaku no Jutsu (Four-Legs Jutsu), an Inuzuka spins him/herself into a tornado and inflicts beast-like attacks as they rotate. More effective with a ninken partner._

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DYNAMIC ENTRY

Rank: D

Type: _Taijutsu, Offensive_

Effect: _A jumping kick to the head from a blind spot. Often used after a kunai is thrown as a distraction, it is surprisingly effective against the unwary._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

Konoha Daisenkō - Great Leaf Flash

Rank: High-D

Type: _Taijutsu, Offensive, Supplementary_

Effect: _An extremely swift and powerful lateral kick to the head that will almost certainly send the target flying should it connect._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

Gōken - Strong Fist

Rank: N/A

Type: _Taijutsu Style, Offensive_

Effect: _A taijutsu style used by Maito Gai as his main style. Makes the user more powerful the more he uses it. Only used by shinobi of the physically imposing type. The polar opposite of the Hyuuga Juken._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

Juken - Gentle Fist

Rank: N/A

Type: _Taijutsu Style, Offensive_

Effect: _The taijutsu style used by the Hyuuga Clan and, with the near destruction of the Kaguya Clan of Kirigakure, reputed to be the deadliest taijutsu style in the world. Using their Kekkei Genkai, The Byakugan, to view the chakra network, the user is able to inject their chakra into the chakra system of the opponent wherever they choose. This style is almost useless without the Byakugan. Polar opposite of the Gōken._

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Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu - Fire Style: Grand Fireball Jutsu

Rank: C

Type: _Offensive_

Effect: _A Katon jutsu created by the Uchiha Clan, this jutsu is used as the Rite of Passage into Adulthood among that Clan. It creates either a single large fireball which is launched at the opponent or emits a continuous stream of fire similar to a flamethrower._

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Sen'eijashu - Striking Shadow Snakes

Rank: C

Type: _Offensive, Time-Space Ninjutsu_

Effect:_ A sub-variety of the Kuchiyose no Jutsu, this summons up to four snakes from a thrust out limb which then enwrap and bite the target. A snake can even be summoned from the mouth._

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Tenga - Cutting Fang

Rank: C

Type: _Taijutsu, Offensive_

Effect: _A solo version of the Gatenga (Spinning Fangs). In this technique, the Inuzuka rolls forward at incredible speed, inflicting damage with beast like attacks. More effective with a ninken partner._

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Kawarimi no Jutsu - Substitution Jutsu

Rank: E

Type: _Supplementary_

Effect: _A basic Academy level Jutsu. Replaces oneself with another object, generically a log. Unlike the Bunshin no Jutsu, this Jutsu is widely used by almost all ninja._

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Futon: Reppūshō no Jutsu - Wind Style: Gale Palm Jutsu

Rank: C

Type: _Offensive, Supplementary_

Effect: _By clapping their hands, the user unleashes a strong wind capable of knocking down a grown human. Used more for it's effect on speeding up weaponry thrown before this jutsu is used, making them faster and hit harder._

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Doton: Doryūheki no Jutsu - Earth Style: Mud Wall Jutsu

Rank: B

Type: _Defensive_

Effect: _Creates a wall made of earth, either by spitting out mud from the mouth, or by manipulating pre-existing earth. Each wall differs with every user. Resistant to fire and water._

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_Jibun Rūru - One's Own Rule_

Rank: Mid-C

Type: _Offensive, Taijutsu_

Effect: _An…unusual technique, Jibun Rūru starts off with the user pinning the opponent. They then attempt to achieve 100 push-ups…in less than 5 seconds, head butting the enemy in the stomach or lower back every time he lowers himself to end a push-up. Surprisingly damaging if the head in question is Maito Gai's head._

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_Konoha Seishun __Ekusasaizu - Leaf Youth Exercise_

Rank: C

Type: _Taijutsu, Offensive_

Effect: _By spinning around until their body is a blur, the user adds a great deal of centrifugal force to the roundhouse kick unleashed at the execution point of this technique._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

Doton: Moguragakure no Jutsu - Earth Style: Hidden Mole Jutsu

Rank: C

Type: _Supplementary_

Effect: _The user uses his chakra to turn the earth beneath and around them into fine sand, allowing them to swim through it like water. Useful for surprise attacks and trying to get away from foes._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu - Demonic Illusion: Death Mirage Jutsu

Rank: D

Type: _Supplementary_

Effect: _Forces the victim to view the one thing they never, ever want to have to see. Mental trauma depends on the image. In the hands of a genjutsu mistress, this is an extremely effective tool._

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Katon: Gōryūka no Jutsu - Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Jutsu

Rank: B

Type: _Offensive, Supplementary_

Effect: _The user builds up a large amount of chakra and compresses it within themselves. When it is released, it is shaped into a snarling dragon. This jutsu burns so hot that it can create thunderclouds due to rising air currents. Anyone caught by this jutsu is reduced to ashes._

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Jūkenhō: Hakke Sanjūni Shō - Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams, Thirty-Two Palms

Rank: N/A

Type: _Offensive, Taijutsu_

Effect: _A lesser form of the Hyuuga main Branch's signature taijutsu attack, this is still a daunting attack to be on the receiving end of. By striking at thirty-two of the 361 tenketsu, the user seals away some of the target's chakra and makes it somewhat more difficult to move for some time._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

**Uzumaki Taijutsu Ougi: ****Uzumaki Tenkyaku - Uzumaki Taijutsu Secret Technique: Spiral Heaven Kick**

Rank: Low-A

Type: _Taijutsu, Ninjutsu_

Effect: _An unusual taijutsu move. This combines the Dynamic Entry, the spinning principle of the Tsūga, Futon: Reppūshō as well as Kage Bunshin. Created by Uzumaki Naruko to deal with Rogue Jonin Yamanaka Haruo. First, the user is thrown feet first at the opponent. Next, the two shadow clones speed the user up with Reppūshō before dispelling. Finally, the user spins around similar to the Tsūga. The total impact from this jutsu is not to be underestimated._


	5. Chap 5: En'ō Kago-te, Secrets Revealed

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine. Last time I tried to claim that he used the thousand years of death on me…OW!**

"Dattebayo!" -normal speech

'_Dobe_' -Thoughts

'{_Shannaro!}_' -Inner Sakura

"**Ningen****"**-Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Speech

'**Brat****'** -Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Thoughts

"_**Kage Bunshin!**_" -Ninjutsu/Genjutsu/Taijutsu move.

**Chapter 5: En****'****ō Kago-te, Secrets Revealed.**

**Timeskip - 3 Hours later**

**Uzumaki Naruko's Private Room, Konoha Hospital**

A pouting blond lay on the hospital bed. Naruko wanted to go home, dammit, but the damned doctors would not let her until her Ji-chan had a word with her and he was late! Her legs had stopped burning over an hour ago!

Naruko had always hated the hospital ever since a nurse had tried to poison her when she was four. She had survived because of her strong immune system and healing factor, or so she had been told at the time. Now she knew it was the Kyuubi's influence purging the poison from her system or something.

She was just about to try to escape, when the door opened and her Ji-chan stepped through the door, making Naruko's face light up. Finally, she could escape the hell that was hospital!

"Ji-chan!" she called, sitting up in bed. Sarutobi had to smile at her obvious relief at seeing him, as she knew she could only leave after talking with him.

"Well Naruko-chan, it seems that you have a habit of rooting out dissenters and traitors." Sarutobi said as he sat in the chair next to the bed with a sigh.

"Ehehehehe…" Naruko grinned in embarrassment as she chuckled. "I don't mean to, Ji-chan. They just come crawling out of the woodwork."

Sarutobi chuckled. "Evidently." His face then became serious. "Naruko, I will not push you, but I believe you should consider telling your teammates about your burden."

Naruko paled at this suggestion. "What…! NO! No way!" she stammered in shock, "I can't! They'll hate me!"

"Naruko, I was watching the entire battle between you and Yamanaka Haruo from start to finish and I can assure you that the thought of you being dead was horrific to the both of them." Sarutobi said with a frown. He had known the idea of her friends finding out about the Kyuubi would terrify her, but with the Genin Housing Act, they would all be living together and it would be close to impossible to hide it for long with Ino, the daughter of one of the best interrogators in ANBU T&I and Hinata, wielder of one of the Three Great Dōjutsu, in close contact with Naruko almost 24/7.

Deciding that to put any more pressure on her would be a bad idea, Sarutobi said, "very well. I could order you to tell them, but I won't."

"Eh? Why?" Asked a visibly relieved Naruko.

"A quick tip on being a leader, Naruko-chan: A good leader never issues an order to someone that they know will not be obeyed, because when the order is eventually disobeyed, it reduces the leader's credibility with their subordinates and makes them look foolish." Sarutobi said with a smile.

"Hai, Ji-chan." Naruko nodded.

"I will, however, ask that you keep an open mind about it." Sarutobi continued, "Spend time with them, get to know them better than you do yourself. Then think about telling them. OK?"

Naruko nodded again slowly, then her wyes widened. "Ji-chan, are Ino-chan and Hinata-chan alright? They're not hurt are they?"

Sarutobi chuckled. "No, no, they're both perfectly fine. Hiashi and Inoichi picked them up a while ago. They said to pass on their thanks for protecting their daughters."

Naruko smiled softly. "As long as my friends are fine, all's good." she whispered so quietly Sarutobi had to strain to hear her.

'_And the civilians think she's a heartless demon? Fools!_' Sarutobi thought as he gazed at his surrogate granddaughter.

"Well then, I suppose I had better be going." he said at last as he stood up.

"Hell yeah!" Naruko cheered, "I'm getting out of here!"

"Ah, not yet." Sarutobi said, making her pause, then realisation dawned on her with a look of horror, which grew with his next words, "I believe one Maito Gai wishes to…how did he put it….ah yes, '_Aid you in fanning your Flames of Youth_', I believe he said. He was most impressed by that last kick you used on Haruo."

Naruko was mouthing the words 'Flames of Youth' soundlessly in abject terror.

"Oh yes. I'll be coming over today to summon Enma and Enki as I have a feeling you'll be busy tomorrow." Sarutobi said with a grin before vanishing in a Shunshin.

Before Naruko could do more than blink, a familiar figure in a green spandex leotard ran into the room, bellowing, "HELLO, NARUKO-SAN AND A MOST YOUTHFUL GREETING TO YOU!"

The yell, "Damn it all, Ji-chan!" swiftly followed the first yell with admirable alacrity.

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**Dining Room, Yamanaka Flower Shop, around the same time…**

Ino sat at the dining table, a scowl across her pretty face as she looked at the table moodily. She had tried to see Naruko after she had had her check-up, but both Hinata and herself had been told she wasn't allowed to see visitors.

'_What the hell is going on?_' Ino thought angrily, '_My cousin comes out of nowhere to try and kill Naruko, because he believes she killed his mother twelve years ago. Not only that, he blew up her house and whatever it is that he believes Naruko did is an S-Rank secret._'

The platinum blond kunoichi sighed as she thought about everything. It just didn't make sense!

From the door, Inoichi watched his daughter with the experienced eye of both a father and an interrogator. He knew his little princess well enough that he knew that once she got fed up of chewing over the information she had, she would start asking questions, questions that Inoichi couldn't answer because of the law. She was a born interrogator.

'_If I head in now, I can head off her questions with a small white lie and a small distraction._' the elder Yamanaka thought quickly.

"Princess." Inoichi called as he walked into the dining room with a smile.

"Oh, hi daddy." Ino said distractedly.

"Ino." he said seriously, which drew his daughter's immediate attention. Inoichi rarely called her anything but the pet name he had given her as a little girl, so this had to be serious.

"I am proud of you for standing with your friend against a superior opponent, princess." he told her with a smile. Ino flushed slightly at this.

"You must be curious as to why Haruo tried to kill your teammate, correct?" Inoichi said with certainty.

"Yes, I am. It's been driving me batty!" Ino replied, aggravation in her voice.

"Well, I can tell you my suspicions on why he tried if you'd like?" he offered casually.

"Wait, you don't know?" Ino asked. Inoichi laughed.

"Not even the Yamanaka Clan fully understands the working of the mind, Princess." he said wryly. Ino nodded in agreement, not noticing he had effectively dodged her question.

"Well now, where to begin…" Inoichi mused aloud, "I don't suppose you know when Naruko's birthday is, do you?"

"Actually, I do." Ino chirped, "She was born on The Day of The Kyuubi."

Inoichi raised his eyebrow. "How'd you find out?"

"Naruko told me and Hinata yesterday when she told us who her mother was." Ino smiled as she remembered how happy Naruko had been.

"Hokage-sama told her? Good, now I can tell Naruko a bit about her mother." Inoichi said.

"Wait, you knew?" Ino asked, stunned.

"Kushina-sama was a very famous kunoichi, Ino. She had many enemies. Powerful, _dangerous_ enemies who wouldn't think twice about harming a little girl as an act of revenge-by-proxy. Naruko needed to be protected from that until she could protect herself." Inoichi told his daughter, who looked disgusted at the thought of people who would do such a thing to a defenceless baby.

"Anyway, because of the day she was born on, a lot of people believe that Naruko is the Kyuubi reborn. Haruo is one of them." Inoichi said in a carefully neutral tone.

"What?" Ino said, dumbfounded, "That has to be among the most stupid and ridiculous thing I have ever heard! People really _believe_ that rubbish?"

"Sadly, yes. The Kyuubi slew so many people and caused so much destruction that the hatred caused by it, even with its defeat, needed to be directed somewhere." Inoichi said, "Who better, to their minds, than the _only_ child born that day?"

"It's still stupid." Ino muttered.

"I agree." Inoichi said, "But I don't think you should talk to Naruko about this unless she brings it up herself. It's a very sensitive topic for her."

"Got it. Thanks daddy." Ino said with a smile.

"No problem Princess." Inoichi replied with a smile, "Now, I heard that Haruo used the _**Shinranshin no Jutsu**_ on you?"

"Yeah, I had to fight my friends. It sucked." Ino said, glowering at the memory.

"How'd you like to learn it?" Inoichi asked with a grin.

Ino returned his grin. "I'd like that a lot, daddy"

**RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR**

**Hokage Tower, Two Hours Later**

Sarutobi was pleasantly surprised that Kakashi was actually on time for a change. He must have taken his warning seriously. The other Jonin looked shocked. Asuma dropped his cigarette, Kurenai tried to dispel a genjutsu and Anko just blinked slowly.

Deciding to give Kakashi a bit of space, Sarutobi cleared his throat and began to speak, "Alright, now we are all here, give me your reports on your genin teams please."

"Team 1 Failed."

"Team 2, Failed."

"Team 3, Failed."

"Team 4, Failed."

"Team 5, Failed."

"Team 6…passed." said the sickly Gekkō Hayate.

Sarutobi raised an eyebrow. "Really? An all-civilian team passed?"

Hayate coughed. "Hai, Hokage-sama. My team, comprised of Matsura Ami, Kūfū Kasumi and Hann'ya Fuki all passed the assigned test."

"I see…" Sarutobi mused, "As they are all civilians, they are prohibited from taking part in the Chunin Selection Exams for the period of a year at the very least. Understood?"

"Hai. They passed through Ami's force of will more than anything else so it'll take a while to beat them into shape." Hayate said with another cough.

"Good. Kakashi?" Sarutobi said.

"Team 7...passes…barely." Kakashi said lazily. This elicited the room to blink almost as one.

"Indeed?" Sarutobi asked.

"They failed the main part of the test, but passed the second layer with some difficulty." Kakashi elaborated, "The Uchiha is more of an arrogant brat than I thought and almost made them fail. They will need some serious teambuilding exercises before I consider them ready for more serious training."

"Don't teach teambuilding to the exclusion of all else, Kakashi." Sarutobi warned, "Individual skills are just as important as teamwork."

"Hai Hokage-sama, I will give your advice due consideration." Kakashi said monotonously.

The Third Hokage twitched at this blatant brush off, but let it go. "Kurenai?"

"Team 8 passes with flying colours." Kurenai said with pride and Anko grinned as well.

"The gakis have talent. The Yamanaka needs to be 'defangirled' before she'll be of much use, but the other two can carry her dead weight until Nai-chan and I beat some sense into her -which shouldn't take all that long."

Sarutobi hide a smirk. "So noted. Asuma?"

"Team 10, passes." his son said lazily, "Shino and Shikamaru figured the test out in less than a minute and Choji trusted Shikamaru enough to follow his orders."

"Very good." Sarutobi said, "Kakashi, Kurenai, Anko, Asuma, you four stay behind. The rest of you are dismissed. Hayate, be here at midday tomorrow, along with your team."

Once the room had emptied somewhat, Sarutobi settled back in his chair with a sigh. "Kurenai, brief Kakashi and Asuma on what occurred at Training Ground 8 earlier today."

Kurenai briefly outlined Yamanaka Haruo, Hyuuga Arashi and Inuzuka Shippo's attack on Naruko, complete with Naruko's mastery of the _**Kage Bunshin,**_ her use of _**Teppōdama**_ _**and Reppūshō**_, Hinata's unexpected mastery of her family's taijutsu and of course Naruko's final attack that defeated Haruo, her _**Uzumaki Tenkyaku (Spiral Heaven Kick)**_.

"You're kidding me?" Asuma asked in disbelief, "She mastered a Suiton jutsu, albeit a basic one, to the point that she used it seallessly _in one day?_"

"_That's_ the part that astonishes you?" Kakashi asked, in a bored voice, "I find the fact that she used the ninjutsu that the Nidaime created but couldn't use worthy of astonishment."

Asuma waved his hand dismissively. "She can do that because of the ludicrous chakra reserves the Kyuubi gives her by hosting it. Mastering a _jutsu_, on the other hand…"

"Regarding that, Umino Iruka came to me last night to inform me that Naruko sent a shadow clone to him with questions regarding the _**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_. Evidently, she used that little lesson to her advantage." Sarutobi said with a proud smile.

Realisation dawned on the Jonin. "Of course! Because shadow clones send their original all of their memories, they make the perfect training tools for Naruko." Kurenai exclaimed with wide eyes. Then she frowned.

"I'm not sure I like my student going to another teacher for advice." she said.

"Iruka-kun is the only teacher who hasn't sabotaged Naruko's education, Kurenai." Sarutobi pointed out, "She regards him as one of the more trustworthy people in her life, as something similar to a brother or father, and she has known him a lot longer than you, so it's quite natural that she would turn to him for advice."

"Point, Nai-chan." Anko remarked. Kurenai scowled, but nodded in acceptance.

Anko grinned. "I wanna know when she thought up that kick though. Gai said the taijutsu part was mixing his own _**Dynamic Entry**_ with the Inuzuka's _**Tsūga**_. I dunno about the _**Tsūga**_, but I know she only saw Gai's move once."

"She thought it up on pure instinct, I'll wager." Sarutobi replied, "Naruko is very much like her mother in that she learns best by doing rather than being told, a trait that is further increased when she is under pressure. Right before she used the…what was it again...ah yes…_**Uzumaki Tenkyaku**_, she saw Haruo try to get up, with her friends right in front of him.

That meant, to Naruko, that she had to do something to protect her friends. I doubt she really thought about what she was doing. As for the name…I recall telling her once about Tsunade's _**Tsūtenkyaku (Heaven Kick of Pain)**_."

All the jonin winced at the name of that technique. Tsunade of the Sannin used it mostly to intimidate debt collectors. Anyone who was actually _hit_ with it was almost certain to die, as it used Tsunade's Chakra Enhanced Strength.

"Well, at least we know her chakra control is never likely to reach the level required for Tsunade's fighting style." Kakashi said lackadaisically as he pulled out his little orange book and opened it.

"There is that." Kurenai conceded, "But unless you put that book of smut away Hatake, I will make sure to place a genjutsu on you that will make you look like Gai."

Kakashi's head snapped up at her in shocked horror. "You _wouldn't_!"

"Try me." Kurenai replied seriously. Kakashi grumbled, but stowed his book in his weapon pouch.

"By the way dad, I'm curious." Asuma said looking at his father curiously, "Why are the teams this year so…unusual? An all male ninja team, an all kunoichi team…you even split up the Ino-Shika-Cho."

"Because, Asuma, the initial list was a recipe for _disaster_." Sarutobi replied, "Naruko would have been on Team 7, Kiba, Hinata and Shino on Team 8 and the Ino-Shika-Cho would have been with you, Asuma."

"As I recall, those are the teams we requested in the first place." Kakashi pointed out.

"True, but you all thought in terms of skill and not personalities." Sarutobi replied, "Naruko _despises_ the Uchiha Clan because of the attack on her when she was seven. She would have handed in her headband rather than remain on Sasuke's team. Kiba has no respect for kunoichi, despite his mother and sister being powerful ones, so he would have scared Hinata and angered Kurenai.

Ino, on the other hand, would have _hated_ to have been in a team under you Asuma, because you really are too lazy, which is why you requested the Ino-Shika-Cho in the first place. She would have nagged Choji and Shikamaru to train and you would _maybe_ send her off with a jutsu to learn -after a whole lot of persuasion on Ino's part- while you play shōgi with Shikamaru and Choji ate. Maybe the occasional teambuilding exercise, but you would have told them to focus on learning their clan jutsu, meaning Ino would have been frustrated at almost every training session."

Sarutobi paused to light his pipe, ignoring his son's indignant face, before he continued.

"A pretty similar thing would have happened with Naruko under you Asuma and Kakashi as well. So then, I thought about it, especially after I saw how Naruko mastered a B-Rank Kinjutsu in two hours. She needed someone to teach her the basics in chakra control, someone who wasn't lazy and wouldn't be three hours late, which meant Kurenai." he explained.

"Alright, I'll give you that, but I'm not _that _lazy!" Asuma protested.

"We'll discuss that later." Sarutobi said in a quelling fashion, "So then, if Naruko was to be on a team with Kurenai, who to put with her? Hinata was a given, both for Naruko's sake and for her own. That bore fruit this morning, as you heard. Sakura would have made a good choice, but I decided on Ino for similar reasons to Naruko.

As to the others, I place Kiba on team 7 in the hope some of his pack mentality would rub off on the Uchiha and Shino with Shikamaru and Choji, because he can get on with practically anybody." Sarutobi finished, looking between the four jonin.

"Now, we have to discuss the moving of the genin into their new homes tomorrow…" Sarutobi said as he puffed on his pipe.

The jonin relaxed at the change in topic and by the time the meeting was over, any ruffled feathers were soothed.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Around the same time**

**Hyuuga Hitomi's Private Garden, Hyuuga Main House Area, Hyuuga Clan Compound**

Hinata sighed as she trimmed the bush in front of her. Taking care of her mother's garden was something she had done since she was old enough to do it without the assistance of a gardener. It was one of the things that relaxed her in the tense and strict Hyuuga Compound.

"Hinata." a voice called for her attention and she stood and turned to see her father standing at the entrance to the house.

"Y-Yes, Otou-san?" Hinata asked nervously. Her father had not said anything since picking her up from the hospital, so she was worried he was about to castigate her for some reason.

"It is my understanding from your Jonin-sensei that you used the _**Hakke Sanjūni Shō **_against Yamanaka Haruo." he stated, "I find this odd as I have not taught you that technique yet. Explain."

"I-I f-found a scroll in Okaa-san's bonsai w-workroom that d-detailed it." Hinata replied, the pressure from her father's question making her stutter worse, "I was h-hoping to s-surprise you once I mastered it."

Hiashi regarded his daughter with well-concealed shock. She had been in Hitomi's room? No, more to the point, his wife had kept a scroll on one of the three Main Family Attack Techniques in her _bonsai workroom_?

The three Main Family _**Juken**_ Attack Techniques, the _**Hakke Sanjūni Shō, Hakke Rokujūyon Shō**_ and _**Hakke Hyaku Nijūhachi Shō (Eight Trigrams One Hundred and Twenty-Eight Palms)**_ were taught to only the best and most promising in each generation of the Hyuuga Clan and only when their teacher thought them ready to learn them. Hitomi had never learned any of the techniques because, while skilled at the _**Juken**_, she had not been a combat ninja.

Hiashi found his voice again. "Where in the workroom was it?"

"Ano…it was i-in a hidden d-drawer that I found when I was looking for Okaa-san's notes on treating g-greenfly last year." Hinata replied.

"I see…come. I shall see your skill with the technique to see if you are worthy of using it." Hiashi said as he turned and led her towards the dojo.

Hinata followed him, trembling. He would punish her if she could not use it well, she just knew it. She hoped she would not have to use the technique on her little sister. Hinata could not bear the thought of hurting the last gift her mother had left them in Hanabi.

She had only won against Hanabi in spars a couple of times, mostly when she was too distracted or concerned about something to concentrate on holding back against her, like she had a couple of fays ago when Naruko's apartment building had been blown up.

When they reached the dojo, as Hinata had feared, Hanabi, her little sister, stood waiting impassively for her father and elder sister. She was dressed in black training clothes and her blank face gave away little of how she felt.

"Hanabi, your sister has learned a new technique that I would like her to use against you." Hiashi told Hanabi, "Prepare yourself."

"Hai, Otou-sama." Hanabi replied, her voice far too solemn for a seven year old. She assumed the basic stance of the _**Juken**_ when Hinata stood opposite her. Reluctantly, Hinata assumed the same stance.

'_What do I do? I don't want to hurt Hanabi-chan! But I don't want to be punished either! What should I do?_' Hinata thought frantically. Then, she remembered the burning pyre where she thought Naruko had died earlier this morning. Her face stiffened as she instinctively activated the _**Byakugan**_ with remembered rage, which shocked Hanabi as she saw her sister glaring at her for the first time in her life.

'_Never again. Never again will I be forced to let Naruko protect me as she risks her life!_' Hinata thought ferociously. In her mind, she saw Naruko exchanged for Hanabi. Hinata's mind rebelled against the scenario.

Hiashi was struck by the similarity between Hinata and Hitomi at that moment. Hinata looked just like her mother had after an assassin wounded him in a failed attempt on his life. She had torn the man to pieces with all the ferocity of a lioness.

'_Oh dear. I believe Hanabi is about to be pounded like nothing she has felt before._' Hiashi thought, before he raised his hand and said, "Hajime!"

To Hanabi's astonishment, Hinata moved to attack first, which was unprecedented in every single spar the two sisters had ever had. She hurriedly activated her own dōjutsu and blocked Hinata's strike -barely.

It was all Hanabi could do to hold her own against the ferocious onslaught Hinata sent her way. She had absolutely no room to counterattack whatsoever.

After a particularly well executed strike knocked her off balance, Hanabi saw Hinata make a very specific pose that was far too familiar from when she saw her father do it.

"You are within range of my divination, Hanabi." Hinata said in a cold voice that chilled the younger Hyuuga to hear, "_**Hakke Sanjūni Shō!**_"

Hinata's arms then seemed to blur as she began the attack.

"_**Ni**__**shō**__**!**_"__A pair of strikes to the tenketsu in her shoulders.

"_**Yon**__**shō!**_" An additional two strikes to the abdomen.

"_**Hachi**__**shō!**_" Four strikes across the upper torso, carefully avoiding the internal organs.

"_**Jūrokushō!**_" Eight strikes to the arms and upper legs.

"_**Hakke Sanjūni Shō!**_" Hinata struck the final set of sixteen strikes across most of the body of her younger sister, the last being strong enough to fling Hanabi back onto the dojo floor in a crumpled heap.

Hiashi would have gaped had it not been for his Hyuuga training in keeping his emotions under check and out of sight. That had been an excellently executed attack, although it had been strangely…different from the version he knew, more fluid and less rigid than the traditional version taught by the clan.

Regardless of _how_ it was done, Hinata _had_ closed thirty of Hanabi's tenketsu and partially closed the other two, without so much as grazing any of Hanabi's veins or organs. He was astounded by her progress and was pleased to say that he had never been more proud of his eldest daughter.

Hinata seemed to come out of her trance and ran to help her sister sit up, concern written across her face. She began opening Hanabi's tenketsu one by one, a painful process Hiashi knew from personal experience.

"O…Onee-sama…" Hanabi said, slightly stunned by her defeat, the second in three days, "H-How did you get so strong?"

Hinata looked at her sister kindly. "This morning, I almost lost one of my friends to an exceptionally _stupid_ person who blamed her for something she could not have possibly done. The thought of losing her was what motivated me. I will become strong, strong enough that I can fight alongside her and help her, rather than be protected by her like this morning.

I always held back when fighting you because you are my imouto, my sister. The idea of hurting you is repugnant to me, so I held back and let you win a lot of the time. I knew that this would almost guarantee that I will be branded with the Caged Bird Seal, but I did not care. As long as you were safe, what happened to me was immaterial."

Hanabi's eyes were wet with tears as she listened to her elder sister tell her that she was willing to become what was basically a slave in order to protect her. Hiashi's eyes were not exactly dry either as he listened.

"But I realise now that sometimes protecting someone requires that they get hurt in the process." Hinata said as she looked at Hanabi square in the eyes. "I will now fight you with all I have in our sparring sessions, so you get as strong as you can as fast as you can. I am unsuited for _**Juken**_. It feels wrong for me to use, so you will be the heiress and I will be sealed."

"But Onee-sama…!" Hanabi said tearfully before a finger went over her mouth.

"My choice, Hanabi-chan." Hinata said softly, "Mine and no-one else's. Just promise me that you'll treat me right once I'm sealed."

"You might be married out of the Clan." Hanabi said desperately.

Hinata shook her head. "Unlikely. And even if I was, I'd still be branded with the Sleeping Bird Seal, so my children wouldn't receive the _**Byakugan**_."

Hiashi decided to intervene at this point. He had a plan in motion that would hopefully free Hinata of her burden should she be chosen to be sealed, so he had to get them out of this little rut they were in.

"Hinata. Hanabi." he spoke evenly. Both of his daughters jumped. It was self-evident that they had forgotten he had been there the entire time, so engrossed they had been with their conversation.

"Hinata that was an excellent sparring session. Although the technique you used is subtly different from what I use." Hiashi said, "I would like to see the scroll that you used as a reference for learning it."

Seeing Hinata nod in acquiescence, he then addressed his youngest child. "Hanabi, I am glad to see that you now realise how much your sister cares for you. I realised the first time she lost precisely what she was planning and, while unhappy she would condemn herself to such a fate, the Clan laws are clear in this regard: One of you must be sealed by, at the very latest, Hinata's sixteenth birthday."

Seeing the sisters instinctively tighten their grip on one another protectively, Hiashi smiled openly. "Have no fear, my daughters. I have a plan. Trust me and I shall hopefully be able to either stall the branding indefinitely or prevent it altogether."

The looks of hope dawning across the faces of his daughters faces felt like a million ryo for Hiashi.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Later That Afternoon**

**Former Toji Clan Home, Clan Residential District**

Naruko was sitting cross-legged on the floor of the training room, her face contorted in thought. Before her was a scroll detailing her Clan's Taijutsu style.

To be accurate, Taijutsu _Styles_, plural.

She had gotten home a while ago from the hospital after enduring a 'youthful' discussion of the technique she had used against Yamanaka Haruo this morning from Gai-sensei.

What the two-hour talk (How he had managed to talk about a _single_ technique for that long, she didn't know) had boiled down to, in essence, was three points and an offer.

First: Naruko had not utilised the _**Tsūga**_ portion of the technique correctly. She had only gotten perhaps a third of the spin speed possible, so she had not hit as hard as she could have.

Second: Her body required more strength, endurance and stamina in order to use the technique without repercussions.

And Third: The technique was too unwieldy, as it required a completely static target in order to strike the opponent successfully. She had been lucky that Haruo had been too debilitated by Hinata's _**Juken**_ to be able to dodge her.

The offer was to give her remedial training in Taijutsu and basic exercises in order to 'allow her youthful flames to explode in full bloom', whatever _that_ meant.

When she had pointed out that she already _had_ a Jonin-sensei, Gai-sensei had assured her that he would arrange things with Kurenai-sensei.

Slightly assured by that, she had accepted, contingent on Kurenai-sensei's acceptance of the matter. Gai had made what could only be described as a 'nice guy' pose and zoomed off in a green blur.

When she had returned to her new home after a quick trip (and twelve bowls of Ramen) to Ichiraku, she had sought out her family scrolls so she could begin her retraining immediately.

Unfortunately, she had discovered that, once she unsealed them, the Taijutsu scrolls were in a jumbled mess. She guessed that the main priority had been packing them away as fast as possible rather than in any particular order. She had finally gotten them into some degree of order and had found the scroll index.

What she had found confused her somewhat. There wasn't just her Clan's scrolls; there was at least one scroll from every Clan in Uzushiogakure. She separated her own Clan scrolls from the others for the moment and focussed on the Uzumaki scrolls.

The Uzumaki Clan did indeed have it's own Taijutsu style. Unfortunately, it was split into three tiers, all of which warned that one must master the 'basic' style first before one attempted to learn the Uzumaki Taijutsu Style, _**Uzumaki Karyū-Ken (Whirlpool Vortex Style)**_.

Frustrated, Naruko had scoured the index for what this basic style was called. After much searching, she discovered that it was called the _**Ushio-ken**_ (_**Tide Fist Style) **_and had been the equivalent of the Konoha Academy's _**Hakage (Leaf Shadow) **_style in Uzushiogakure.

That brought her to this point. She was in the middle of reading the details of the basic stances and katas of the style, which seemed a whole lot more sensible than Konoha's basic taijutsu.

The Konoha _**Hakage**_ style was neutral, favouring neither offence or defence over the other. Rather, it's main feature was that it was easy to learn and use as a base for learning more advanced Taijutsu styles. Graduates of the Academy generally only used _**Hakage**_ style until they found a better style to learn.

_**Ushio-ken**_, on the other hand, was a solid style in and of itself. An offence-oriented style, it relied on swift, decisive strikes to finish the foe as fast as possible, operating under the premise that attack was the best defence.

It made sense to Naruko. Why bother sending genin out with a substandard taijutsu style that wouldn't stand up to any ninja with any sort of combat experience when you can give them a solid foundation to begin with?

"Right." Naruko muttered as she stood up, eyes still locked on the scroll in her hands. A cough coming from immediately behind her made her almost levitate. Whirling around, she saw that it was a smirking Third Hokage.

"Ji-chan, don't scare me like that!" Naruko said irritably as she rolled up the scroll in her hands and stuck it in a scroll pocket in the underside of her trench coat.

Sarutobi chuckled. "Sorry Naruko-chan. When I came in you were just so intent on reading that I decided to wait until you finished reading to…ah...interrupt your studying."

Naruko sighed. "Fair enough. Hold on a sec. _**Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!**_" An entire army of Naruko's spread out among the house.

"Alright you lot!" Naruko called, "Spread out across the grounds and practice the stances and katas. Some of you take perimeter patrol and some of you get to work on reading those indexes. I do _not_ want to have to play archivist every time I have to look something up. Move out!"

"Yes ma'am!" the horde of Naruko's said as they scattered, soon leaving Sarutobi and Naruko alone in the house once again.

"Which style are you learning?" Sarutobi enquired curiously.

"The _**Ushio-ken**_." Naruko replied, "My family's taijutsu style can't be learned without learning that style first."

"Ah yes. I had forgotten Kushina telling me that." Sarutobi nodded sagely.

Naruko's eye twitched a bit before she brightened. "Oh, Ji-chan, what do you think of my new outfit?" She twirled around.

"Very nice Naruko-chan." Sarutobi said with a smile, "But what about your Clan symbol?"

"The place I went to -NOT a local business, thank kami- said they'd put it on the back and left sleeve of ten copies of my outfit they'd have made up for tomorrow. This'll do for now though." Naruko replied.

"That's good." Sarutobi said with a smile. "I remember your mother's outfit as a genin was a kimono-style blouse with a black obi, a black skirt, thigh-high stockings and black sandals. It suited her quite well."

Naruko smiled at this new titbit about her mother, before she remembered the letter. "Ji-chan…I…I found a letter…from my mother."

Sarutobi's eyes widened as he looked at Naruko in concern.

"You…should probably read it too." Naruko said as she led him to her bedroom. Picking up the letter, she handed it to the Hokage, who accepted it with a grave air.

Sarutobi unfolded the letter and read it, smiling when a particularly Kushina-like line sprung out at him, wincing when he reached the line about what Naruko should do if she didn't know about the Kyuubi before reading the letter and quietly thanked kami that he had planned on telling her about her status as a Jinchuruki when she passed the genin exam anyway, rather than chunin as Kushina had initially suggested.

When he reached the part about Biwako, he let out a shuddering breath as he remembered her no nonsense and direct manner. Kami, he missed her so much. He finished reading the letter, noting the advice Kushina gave Naruko with considerable interest.

"Thank you, Naruko-chan." He said as he handed the precious letter back to Naruko with a nod. "I suppose you want to know what happened?"

"Yup." Naruko said, "I read that part over and over. Teams of ANBU and the Yondaime Hokage on standby, one of the best midwives in the Elemental Nations, a hidden location with a powerful kekkai…what the hell could have gotten past all that?"

"I wish we knew." replied Sarutobi sadly, "After…well, after the Kyuubi was sealed, we went over the birthing chamber with a fine toothed comb. Biwako, the other med-nins, the ANBU guards…all dead from a single killing strike. Someone was able to bypass the kekkai, kill almost every living thing in the chamber and make off with Kushina to break the Kyuubi out, right out from under the nose of Konoha's Yellow Flash, without suffering a single wound in the process."

Naruko gaped. "Th-that shouldn't have been _possible_! ANBU are the best of the best! Even if they were all killed, the bastard should have at least a _few_ wounds! And Yondaime-sama was the fastest Hokage _ever_!"

"True." Sarutobi agreed, "But I think we both have to agree that the person responsible would have to be incredibly powerful to do all of the above in the first place, so I'm afraid it is in the realm of possibility."

"If I _ever_ find out who's responsible for my mother being killed, I'll roast his nuts slowly over a fire." Naruko said darkly.

"I'll be happy to give you a hand." Sarutobi assured her with a predatory grin that his surrogate granddaughter returned.

"Now then, do you want to find out what your gauntlet can do?" Sarutobi asked once the two of them had dealt with their dark impulses and made their way to the living room.

"Hell yeah!" Naruko chirped in reply, "It's been bugging me ever since I finished the damn thing."

"Well then, lets bring Enma and Enki here." Sarutobi said. Biting his thumbs just enough to draw blood, Sarutobi weaved handsigns.

"_**Kuchiyose no Jutsu- **__**Saru Tan'ya: Enki! Enkōō: Enma!**_" Sarutobi declared as he slammed his hands on the ground. In two plumes of smoke, the familiar forms of the Monkey King and one of his Master Blacksmiths appeared.

"**Hiruzen? You're a day early."** Enma said gruffly.

"I just passed my genin test this morning, Enma-sama." Naruko said, "The guy who blew up my old home tried to kill me in person just after that, so Ji-chan thinks it would be a good idea for me to know how to use the En'ō Kago-te just in case."

"…" Enki looked at Naruko for a moment before shaking his head. "The humans in your village are as dumb as rocks Hiruzen."

"I have trouble refuting that sometimes." Sarutobi said with a sigh.

"Humph." Enki snorted, "Well then Naruko. Has anything happened that you think has anything to do with the gauntlet?"

Naruko frowned. "Well…yeah. Yesterday, Kurenai-sensei put me under a genjutsu. Ordinarily I can't even tell I'm in one, but this time the gauntlet heated up and the eyes of the monkey head glowed red. And when I tried to dispel the genjutsu, I actually managed to do it."

"**The first ability of the gauntlet."** Enma said, **"En'ō no Seiiki (Monkey King's Sanctuary). An ability unique to the one who forged it with their chakra. As long as you wear it, there is a constant flow of chakra between you and the gauntlet. Because of this, the En'ō Kago-te can detect foreign chakra in your system and alert you to it. It even increases your chakra control to help you dispel the genjutsu cast on you, up to a point. C-Rank genjutsu and below won't be all that hard to detect and dispel with the gauntlet on. You still have to be careful when dealing with B-Rank and above though."**

Naruko gazed at the gauntlet in awe.

"The second ability isn't _really_ an ability." Enki admitted, "The En'ō Keiyaku (Contract of the Monkey King) means that as long as you bear that gauntlet, you are officially a Summoner of the Monkey Clan. Congratulations."

"R-Really?" Naruko squeaked. A chuckling Sarutobi nodded.

"It's nice to have a fellow Summoner of the Monkey Clan in the village again." he remarked before gesturing at Enma to continue.

"**The gauntlet is now made of adamantine, a legendary material that is harder than diamonds."** Enma informed her, **"The final ability of the gauntlet makes it's composition very useful. The ****En'ō Jūni Ten no Kyokumen (The Twelve Heavenly Aspects of the Monkey King) allows the gauntlet to change shape into one of twelve weapon forms."**

"Seriously?!" Naruko exclaimed excitedly.

"Yes indeed." Enki chuckled, "Of course, it isn't as simple as all that. Y'see the part of the gauntlet that can rotate? You might notice how every panel is blank, barring one part that has 籠手 (Gauntlet) on it?"

Naruko looked at the gauntlet and, sure enough, there was a panel just as Enki described.

"Cool. So how do I transform it?" Naruko asked eagerly.

"You can't." Enki replied, "At least, not until you sacrifice a weapon to the gauntlet."

"EH!?" Naruko said, startled.

"What I mean is that the gauntlet absorbs the weapon you offer to it and the kanji for the weapon appears on one of the rotating plates." Enki elaborated, "You then make the Monkey Handsign and say 'Buki Henge' then 'Kongō (Adamantine/Vajra)' plus the name of whatever the weapon is called in order to transform the gauntlet. In addition, the quality of the weapon you offer determines the quality of the transformed gauntlet, so a poor quality weapon begets you a poor quality transformation. You see?"

"I…think so." Naruko said slowly, "But I don't have any weapons except kunai and shuriken, and none of them are high quality stuff either."

"Here." Sarutobi unsealed a Bō staff from a seal hidden on his left arm somewhere.

"Ji-chan, you don't have to-" Naruko tried to protest.

"You have to get used to transforming the gauntlet." Sarutobi said firmly, "Besides, I have a lot of good Bō staffs in the Sarutobi compound that can replace this one."

Naruko accepted the Bō from her grandfather figure and spun it slightly. It was a good weight, not too light or too heavy, and was well balanced. The wood was lacquered a dull black and each end was capped by a thick, blunt piece of plain steel to increase the impact of the strikes. It was almost two meters tall, so it was bigger than she was at the moment.

"Ok. This is a _good_ Bō." Naruko said with conviction, as she looked at Enki, "So how do I , uh, _offer_ it to my gauntlet?"

Enki chuckled. "First, you draw blood and swipe it horizontally across the mouth of the snarling monkey face on the back of your hand."

Naruko bit her thumb and swiped it across the mouth. Instantly, the monkey head swelled up until it jutted out from the gauntlet like a tumour. It opened its mouth, ready.

Naruko looked at it then at Enki. "Seriously? It has to _eat_ the damn thing?"

"As you would say, 'yep'." Enki grunted back, clearly amused, "Insert it end-first. As you put it in, make sure you do not put your hand too close to the mouth or it'll suck you in. That would be bad."

"Riiiiight." Naruko said regarding Enki with no small amount of scepticism, but decided to take him at his word. She had a shadow clone carefully placed one of the butt-ends of the Bō in the opening of the gaping mouth of the monkey face on the back of her hand and push it in.

A slight blue glow was shining from the mouth as the staff was inserted, deepening in colour as more and more of the staff was swallowed up by the gauntlet.

"How is it doing that?" Naruko asked, fascinated.

"Seals. Lots and _lots_ of seals." Enki replied, "I'm no Seal Master, but there are a few of the Monkey Clan who are intermediate Masters. Plus, we can contact Jiraya of the Sannin via the Toad Clan if we want something particularly complex. I didn't consult him on the seals used on En'ō Kago-te and it bit me on the ass. Far too damn powerful for it's own good and utterly useless while incomplete."

"**It was foolish of you to not request a messenger sent to the Toads when you were forging the damned thing."** Enma said bluntly.

"At the time, it was intended as a tithe for you, Enma-sama." Enki pointed out, "It was a surprise. How was I supposed to know that the particular sealing matrix I used would react the way it did when I overlaid a secondary array around it?"

"**You never even consulted the few intermediate Seal Masters we had before trying it."** the Monkey King growled, **"You're lucky that I managed to rip the damn gauntlet off before it drained me dry."**

"Enma, Enki, can you argue later? The gauntlet's almost finished absorbing the staff." Sarutobi interjected with a mental eye roll. These two had been arguing about that particular incident for decades and Sarutobi wasn't in the mood to watch it for the nth time.

With a slight {POP!}, the last of the Bō vanished into the gauntlet. The mouth of the monkey closed and retracted back into the main gauntlet. Then, the movable section of the En'ō Kago-te began to rotate, slowly at first then picking up speed. Finally, it stopped on the blank plate next to the only occupied plate and the kanji '棒' (Bō) appeared on it as if it was being written by a brush.

"Wow." Naruko said appreciatively.

"**Try and transform it into a staff now."** Enma directed.

Naruko nodded and formed the Monkey handsign. "_**En'ō Kago-te: Buki Henge: Kongō**__**bō! (Gauntlet of the Monkey King: Weapon Transformation: Adamantine Staff!)**_" She commanded.

A puff of smoke surrounded Naruko for a moment, before clearing to reveal the blond kunoichi now holding a Bō staff, but one that was different from the one that had been offered to the gauntlet.

It was still black, but was now the matt black that denoted adamantine. It was slightly shorter than before, at the perfect length for Naruko to wield it. The steel caps at the ends were now a bronze-like material, shaped like snarling monkey faces.

"That...is impressive." Sarutobi said.

Naruko looked at her now bare right forearm. "Huh. Feels kinda wrong to not have the gauntlet on my arm." she commented.

"When you wish to return the En'ō Kago-te to it's original form, merely make a one-handed Tiger Handsign and commend 'Buki Henge: Kai' ." Enki advised.

Naruko nodded. Making the required handsign with her free hand, she said, "_**En'ō Kago-te: Buki Henge: Kai! (Gauntlet of the Monkey King: Weapon Transformation: Release!)**_"

In another poof of smoke, the Bō was gone and the gauntlet was back on Naruko's arm.

"I think I could get used to this." she smirked.

"I'll bet." Sarutobi said dryly, "But while the weapon is important, you also require skill to use it effectively. Have you looked at weapons styles in your archives?"

Seeing Naruko shake her head in negation, he said, "I'd check that next, if I were you. If there is no Bōjutsu style from Uzu, I will find you a style from Konoha."

"Arigato, Ji-chan!" Naruko said with a beaming smile. Then her brow furrowed.

"Enki-san, how can the gauntlet 'absorb' a weapon that is too big to fit down the opening?" she asked.

Enki shrugged. "In the same way you have a mountain-high fox demon held within you: seals. Sarutobi here might have told you this before, but as long as you have the formula, there is no limit to what Fūinjutsu can accomplish. I designed the seals to do with weapon absorption so they could absorb even a tetsubo or a zanbatō with ease. They bend the space around the weapon so it fits, regardless of size."

"Oh." Naruko mulled this over for a moment. "Is there any limits or demerits to using the third ability?"

"**Heh. She's sharp."** Enma remarked, **"Yes, there are limits and a demerit. You cannot shift between weapon forms directly. You have to revert back to the gauntlet before you can transform it into another weapon. In addition, you can only transform the gauntlet three times in a single hour, not including cancelling the transformations, then it must rest for at least half an hour. Finally, the demerit. When wielding En'ō Kago-te in a weapon form, you are bereft of the En'ō no Seiiki ability. You have to chose between offence and defence."**

"I can work with those conditions." Naruko said confidently.

"Naruko-chan, I would like it if you could avoid using your summoning abilities for as long as you can." Sarutobi said, seriously, "Otherwise there will be moan and complaints of favouritism from the civilians and maybe even a few grumbles from the Shinobi Forces. Wait a few months and I can say I let you sign the Monkey Contract as a reward for a mission well done."

Naruko contorted her face a bit at this. She may have matured a bit since graduating, but she had been seeking acknowledgement from people for seven long years and that much ingrained habit did not just vanish with the wind.

Reluctantly, she nodded. "I will use it if my teammates lives are in danger, Ji-chan."

"That is an honourable stipulation, Naruko-chan and I accept it without reservation." Sarutobi replied solemnly.

"**Hiruzen, now that we have explained everything to the new Summoner, Enki and myself should be going."** Enma said gruffly, **"I shall hopefully see you again soon, Naruko."**

"As do I, Enma-sama." Naruko replied with a small bow.

With a couple of puffs of smoke, the monkey summons disappeared back to their own realm, leaving the humans alone once again.

"Now, I have some news for you regarding a recent act passed in the council." Sarutobi said after a moment.

"Please don't tell me the council passed a law restricting Jinchuruki from rising higher than genin." Naruko deadpanned.

Sarutobi chuckled. "The Shodaime enacted a little-known law after the Valley of the End that specifically prohibited discrimination against Clans, family's and individuals with demonic association, possessing demonic ancestry or being host to a demon. No, what I need to discuss is The Genin Housing Act."

"What's that?" Naruko asked confusedly.

Sarutobi smiled grimly. Naruko would like this.

"For you, it means that your teammates are moving in here with you." He replied cheerfully.

A second passed, then another. Then….

"EHHHHHHHHH?!" Naruko shrieked.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Next Chapter: Housemates and D-Ranks**

**Authors Note: For those of you who might say that I am giving Naruko Enma without actually being Enma, the difference is this: Enma's Adamantine Staff form is based of off Son Goku's magic staff from Journey to the West, capable of extending at it's owners will.**

**Naruko's staff is just an Adamantine staff. It cannot lengthen or shrink and has no special abilities other than being made of Adamantine, which is all but immune to being cut.**

**Oh, and if you're wondering if I'm putting all the different styles I mention above in the lexicon…nope. I only put Jutsu and styles that haven't been mentioned before ****and**** are actively used in a chapter in the Lexicon, otherwise these chapters would go on all day.**

**Read, Review and stay tuned!**

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Jutsu Lexicon**

**Any Jutsu with the name emboldened is one I made.**

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

_**En'ō Kago-te: Buki Henge: Kongō**__**bō - Gauntlet of the Monkey King: Weapon Transformation: Adamantine Staff**_

Rank: C

Type: _Ninjutsu, Bukijutsu_

Effect: _Transforms the En'ō Kago-te into a __bō staff made of Adamantine. The staff appears at the optimum length for the user to wield it at._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

_**En'ō Kago-te: Buki Henge: Kai - Gauntlet of the Monkey King: Weapon Transformation: Release**_

Rank: C

Type: _Ninjutsu, Bukijutsu_

Effect: _Cancels the transformation of En'ō Kago-te from a weapon and returns it to a gauntlet._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**


	6. Chap 6: Housemates and D-Ranks

**Author's Note: All credit for the Genin Housing Act goes to Archangel N. Bloodraven, in the story 'Vixens and Kitsune', who kindly allowed me to borrow it. I also recommend you try reading it, as the story is quite good.**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine.**

"Dattebayo!" -normal speech

'_Dobe_' -Thoughts

'{_Shannaro!}_' -Inner Sakura

"**Ningen****"**-Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Speech

'**Brat****'** -Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Thoughts

"_**Kage Bunshin!**_" -Ninjutsu/Genjutsu/Taijutsu move.

**Chapter 6: Housemates and D-Ranks**

**Timeskip - The Next Day**

**Midday, Sarutobi's Office, Hokage Tower**

The eleven genin in the room had taken two sides. Ami's team were on one side, the rest were on the other side giving Ami's team the evil eye. At least the girls were. Ino, Sakura and Hinata had all been bullied by the purple haired menace that was Ami.

The boys were indifferent.

Kiba was dismissive of kunoichi, although Tsume and Hana, his mother and sister, were strong and well-respected kunoichi that no man wanted to get on the wrong side of.

Shino was indifferent to petty rivalries as it was an illogical process.

Shikamaru thought it was too troublesome.

Choji might have cared if he had been on his own, but as it was, no.

Sasuke regarded everyone around him as inferior, whether they are ninja or civilian, so the feuding between the kunoichi was of little interest to him.

The five jonin watching the genin did not think this was a good sign.

"Stupid brats are still caught up in their idiotic school rivalry." Anko said in an undertone to the others.

"It has only been two days since graduation." Asuma pointed out, "Plus, they haven't even gone on any missions yet."

Kakashi sighed. "More importantly, Kurenai, where is your last student?"

The red-eyed jonin frowned. "I honestly don't know. From everything I have been able to find out about her, this is not like her. I half expected her to be waiting here early."

Hayate laughed, before it spluttered into another cough. "That sounds like her. I remember when she was admitted to the academy. She was bouncing around like she was pumped full of pure adrenaline. It would have been cute…if it hadn't been so exhausting." he said after he recovered.

Asuma chuckled. "Yeah. I remember coming back for a visit when I was a member of the Guardian Ninja Twelve when she was five. I helped move her into her old apartment. She was so excited about getting her own house."

"This trip down memory lane -as fascinating as it is- still begs the question of 'where is Naruko?' " Kakashi said in a monotone.

Just then, the Hokage walked in. He looked between the two groups of genin with a sigh before he strode over to his desk and sat down behind it with yet another sigh.

"Well, mow that we're all here, we can begin." Sarutobi said as he shuffled documents on his desk.

"Um...Hokage-sama, Naruko isn't here yet." Sakura said quickly.

"I have to disagree there Sakura-chan. Naruko has been here before the Jonin arrived." Sarutobi said with a small chuckle before he raised his voice slightly, "Naruko, you can come out now."

"Awwww, Ji-chan! You spoilt the surprise!" Naruko's voice whined from seemingly nowhere, "You could have waited until I made my entrance!"

The other genin looked around for their fellow ninja, but couldn't catch sight of her. Even the Jonin couldn't find her and were looking around in puzzlement.

"My apologies, Naruko-chan but we do have a lot to get on with, so if you could show yourself, we can get on with it." Sarutobi said firmly.

A small sigh was heard from the hidden kunoichi. "Oh all right." Naruko said sulkily.

Then the ceiling started to collapse, or so the assembled Ninja thought. It was soon evident that it was a giant cloth painted and textured to look exactly like the ceiling of the Hokage's office. Four Shadow Clones of Naruko, _**henge'd**_ into wearing her old jumpsuit, had been holding it up at each of the four corners of the office.

"A giant version of _**Ninpo: **__**Kakuremino no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Magic Cloak of Invisibility Jutsu)**_?" Kurenai asked in disbelief, "And we never noticed her presence at all?"

The shadow clones rolled up the cloth and laid it to one side before dispelling themselves.

"It takes the concerted effort of up to ten teams of ANBU or the effort of one Umino Iruka to track down and bring in Naruko." Sarutobi said with a small smile, "Add in to that her stealth is above the level required for ANBU entry, and you have nothing to be ashamed of."

As the two adults spoke, the real Naruko dropped down to the floor, clad in a fresh set of her new outfit that drew some raised eyebrows. There were only three things different about her from when Sarutobi had seen her the previous day.

The first was that the trench coat now bore the spiral symbol of the Uzumaki Clan on its back and left arm, just as she had told him the previous day.

The second was the addition of an additional hitai-ate tied around her right upper arm, which bore the spiral symbol of Uzushiogakure. Evidently Naruko had come across her mother's possessions after he left.

The third and final addition was the sword slung over her right shoulder. It was a katana, with a red-wrapped handle. The Tsuba was circular and was carved to resemble the Uzumaki Clan symbol. The sheath was black with spirals picked out in gold running down its length. Sarutobi recognised it immediately as Kushina's sword, Benihime.

He wasn't the only one who recognised the sword. Kakashi went ridged when he saw it, as did Hayate although they did so for entirely different reasons. Kakashi recognised the sword of the person whom his sensei had loved, while Hayate recognised the Meito (famous named sword) that had belonged to the best swordswoman in all of Konoha.

"Heya guys." Naruko greeted her fellow graduates, but pointedly ignored Ami, Kasumi and Fuki.

"N-Naruko?" Sakura asked, shocked by her change in attire "Is that really you?"

'_{Shannaro! She looks better without the damn orange monstrosity hiding her! She had better not go after my Sasuke-kun! Cha!}_' Her inner self shouted.

"Yup." The Uzumaki Heiress replied, "Decided to put the jumpsuits away now I'm a real ninja and not a student."

"Heh. Clothes don't matter, Dobe." Kiba sneered, "You can't match me. Not now, not ever."

"We'll see, mutt." Naruko shot back.

Shikamaru looked at her and rolled his eyes. "Urgh. Do you have to be so troublesome, Naruko?"

Naruko giggled. "Yup."

"…Hn." Sasuke grunted.

"Teme, as always you are a riveting conversationalist." Naruko said sarcastically.

"Baka!" Ino shouted, "Stop calling my Sasuke-kun that!"

"He has to say more than single syllable answers to any question he's asked before that'll happen Ino-chan." Naruko replied cheekily, "Yo Choji, up for our eating contest after this?"

"You bet!" The rotund boy replied happily. He had always liked Naruko. She had never teased him for his weight and was able to compete with him in eating contests, which was unheard of within Konoha. The Akimichi Clan, with their _**Karorī Kontorōru no Jutsu (Calorie Control Jutsu)**_ were infamous for consuming an incredibly large amount of food.

The only person to equal them in this department was Naruko when it came to Ramen. Not even his father, Chōza, could out-eat Naruko when it came to Ramen.

Shino regarded Naruko speculatively but said nothing. Hinata's face was, as always, somewhat red when she looked at Naruko.

Sarutobi cleared his throat. "Naruko-chan, did you bring what I asked for?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah!" Naruko said as she opened her trench coat, reached in and pulled out a scroll, "Here you go Ji-chan."

She tossed the scroll at the Hokage, who deftly caught it. "My thanks. Take these to the mission counter and you will be paid for both missions." Sarutobi told her as he tossed a pair of scrolls back at Naruko, who caught them with a grin and a nod.

Ignoring the curious looks of her peers, Naruko pocketed the scrolls and pretended that her peers were not regarding her with suspicion.

Sarutobi decided now would be a good time to distract them. "Now, if all genin would line up in their teams?" he asked.

After the genin scrambled into lines, he was unsurprised to see Ami at the head of Team 6, Sasuke at the head of Team 7, Naruko at the head of Team 8 and a reluctant Shikamaru at the head of Team 10.

Turning to the jonin, Sarutobi said, "Now, I would like for you to select a member of your squad to be the second in command. This has no meaning in anything but C-Rank missions and above."

Noticing the half-incredulous looks coming from the genin, Sarutobi told them, "This is a precaution, nothing more, for the case that your Jonin-sensei is incapacitated for some reason, such as severe chakra exhaustion."

Sakura stuck her hand up.

"Yes, Sakura-chan? And there's no need to raise your hand to ask a question; you are no-longer at the Academy." Sarutobi said gently.

"H-Hai, Hokage-sama." Sakura said nervously. She really envied Naruko's easy rapport with the village leader right now, "Err, what would the duties of a second in command actually be?"

"An excellent question, Sakura-chan." Sarutobi said approvingly, making the pinkette blush slightly, "A second in command or Assistant Squad Leader (ASL) is only relevant when the Jonin-sensei is either not around, such as an independent D-Rank or above mission, or if, as I have already said, the Jonin-sensei becomes incapacitated on a C-rank or higher mission."

He paused to light his pipe before continuing, "An ASL is considered to be in charge of the squad until such time as they either revive their Jonin-sensei or the mission is complete, whichever happens first or is more relevant. Disobeying the orders of an ASL is given the same oversight as disobeying the Jonin-sensei, so long as the order falls under the ORP criteria."

"ORP? What the heck is that?" asked Ino.

"ORP. Ordinary, Reasonable and Prudent." explained Sarutobi, "In other words, if an order given is judged by seasoned jonin to be something an ordinary, reasonable and prudent ninja would have followed when it was not, the full weight of the law -military law, not civilian law- would be brought to bear on the one who disobeyed it."

"And if the order was not what an 'ORP' ninja would follow?" Sasuke asked insolence in his body language as if such a thing was beneath him.

"Then the ASL would be the one brought under scrutiny instead." Sarutobi replied, looking the arrogant boy in the eyes sternly, "Should the ASL be found wanting, they could face several penalties which, while not as severe as what a chunin or jonin would face in a similar situation, would be most…_unpleasant_ for them, their family's…and their Clan's lands and money."

Sasuke scowled as the warning struck home. With an "Hn" of what could be imagined to be acknowledgement, he shoved his hands in his pockets and remained silent.

"Now, Hayate, who will you recommend?" Sarutobi asked after a lingering look of disappointment at the Uchiha.

"{Cough} I recommend Matsura Ami." Hayate said. Ami smirked arrogantly at this.

"Very well. Kakashi?" Sarutobi hid his concern at the girl's arrogance. It seemed this year arrogant ninja were the norm.

"I recommend Haruno Sakura." The silver-haired man said lazily. Sakura looked shocked.

"WHAT!?" snarled Sasuke, "I am an Uchiha! My lineage _demands_ that I be in charge! She is just a civilian!"

"And a mere _kunoichi_." Kiba sneered.

"**ENOUGH!**" Sarutobi thundered angrily, while Naruko and Hinata glared at Sasuke and Kiba. Team 6, Sakura and Ino were looking at Sasuke with hurt shock at his attitude towards civilians.

"Sasuke, a person's origin does not determine their place in life." Sarutobi spoke softly, but with anger clear in his voice, "Nor does a person's gender, Kiba. I confess to being disappointed in you both. As punishment, all your mission-pay from the next twenty missions is to be forfeited to Haruno Sakura for conduct unbecoming of a shinobi of Konoha. Understood?"

Sasuke and Kiba looked sullen as they nodded bitterly. Sarutobi settled down and motioned to Kurenai.

"I recommend Uzumaki Naruko." she said with a smile. Naruko looked like she had been sucker punched in the gut.

"Wait, _the_ _Dobe_ is gonna be an ASL?" Ami asked incredulously, "Might as well mark them as KIA right now." Her two flunkies sniggered in agreement with her.

Naruko glared murderously at Ami, while Ino and Hinata adding their glares to the mix. Team 10 were not too happy either. Sakura was glaring as well, while Sasuke and Kiba looked as if they agreed with Ami.

Sarutobi sighed. It seemed Ami, Sasuke and Kiba were this years troublemakers. "Ami, cease this childish idea that you are superior to others based on academic records and do not ridicule others in such a cruel manner or I will punish you as I have Sasuke and Kiba." he said in an almost resigned way, while his eyes glowered at the civilian-born genin.

Ami quailed at the look the Hokage gave her and shut up with an almost inaudible "Hai."

"Asuma, what about you?" Sarutobi asked.

"I recommend Nara Shikamaru." Asuma replied. Shikamaru huffed and muttered his family's catchphrase, "Troublesome."

"Very well. I fully endorse the recommendations of the Jonin." the Hokage said formally, "Ami, Sakura, Naruko, Shikamaru; do you accept the responsibility offered to you?"

"Hell yeah!" crowed Ami, who had recovered from her fear somewhat.

"I-I…yes. I accept, Hokage-sama." Sakura said standing straighter.

"Nobody'll get to my friends while I'm on the job! I'm in." Naruko stated forcefully, shooting Ami a quick scowl.

"Troublesome. Okaa-san will nag me to death if I don't accept. I'll do it." grumbled Shikamaru.

"Very good." Sarutobi said. "The second reason I have called you here is to inform you of the Genin Housing Act."

"What's that?" asked Fuki, who had been silent so far.

"Rather basically, it means that each team will be living in the same house or apartment together." replied Sarutobi.

The genin, aside from Naruko, looked at the Hokage in shock. Then Sasuke crossed his arms.

"I'll pass on this." he stated unequivocally.

"You have no choice." Sarutobi shot back, eyes narrowed at the Last Uchiha, "Unless you resign as a ninja, you _will_ comply with my command."

Sasuke scowled again. "Why do we have to do this?" he spat out.

"I believe that it will help improve your teamwork faster. Living together and working together should help you all bond more quickly and thus raise the speed of your on-the-job efficiency." Sarutobi explained, " In addition, having to pay for your utilities, such as water and electricity, out of your mission pay and standard genin pay will teach you a sense of responsibility and aid in your maturity, which will be needed on C-Rank and above missions and the Chunin Selection Exams."

Sasuke did not look convinced. "I disagree strongly with this. If I'm living elsewhere, who will maintain the Uchiha Compound?" he argued.

"The Uchiha compound is in _dire_ need of extensive maintenance anyway Sasuke." Sarutobi said firmly, "I'm sure that you have done your best to hold the fort there, but the fact of the matter is that it took at _least _twenty people, sometimes as many as fifty, to maintain the small things on a day-to-day basis, let alone what any serious repairs required. So far, you have refused all offers at aid in that department, but with this, I am afraid you will have to relent."

Seeing there was nothing to be done, Sasuke huffed slightly and said nothing.

Glad that the Uchiha had acceded, albeit reluctantly, Sarutobi continued with his briefing. "Your Jonin-sensei's have a set of keys for each of you, plus an extra set of their own for emergencies. The houses have been stocked with a week's worth of food, but I advise that you make up a shopping list so everyone can get whatever else you need for now."

Seeing that the genin had calmed down and accepted the idea, Sarutobi smiled. "OK then. Teams 6, 7 and 10 can move out and start moving out, pardon the pun. Team 8; stay behind as there are additional things to be discussed."

As the other genin filed out after their senseis, they snuck looks at Team 8, no doubt wondering what the Hokage wanted with them. Had Naruko perhaps played another prank on a prominent clan again?

Once the door had closed behind them, Sarutobi got up and swiftly knelt next to Naruko. "Don't believe what Ami said." He told her as he looked into her sapphire blue eyes, which had been quivering with barely concealed fear when the others hadn't been looking, ever since Ami had so flippantly made her cruel remark.

"But-But yesterday they were almost killed just because they were on the same squad as me, Ji-chan." Naruko whispered brokenly, "What if it happens again? What if one of them gets hurt or even _dies_ because some idiot who was after me gets them instead? I don't think I could take it if that happened."

"Naruko…" Ino whispered as she saw the usually strong girl tremble in fear and self-doubt. Drawing herself up, Ino strode forward and roughly spun Naruko around. Sarutobi wisely got out of the firing line of the irate kunoichi.

"Now you listen here Uzumaki Naruko!" Ino snarled, "Get it through your head that Hinata and I are both kunoichi too! Having brushes with death is a risk we accepted when we accepted our hitai-ate! So don't you _dare_ try and coddle us!"

Naruko stared at Ino in ill-disguised shock. "You don't understand-" she tried to say, before Ino cut her off.

"You mean how everyone thinks you're the Kyuubi reborn just because you were the only one born that day?" the Yamanaka Heiress snorted in disgust as she spoke.

Naruko, Sarutobi, Kurenai and Anko went rigid at these words. "How'd you…?" Naruko asked timorously.

"I did some thinking, and then daddy told me his suspicions." Ino replied, "He seemed just as irritated as I am by the whole thing. Really! As if Hokage-sama would have let you live in the village if that was the case!"

Sarutobi relaxed slightly. He had to admit, focussing the girl on one part of the villagers misguided beliefs was a smart thing on Inoichi's part, even more so because it offended Ino that people would think such a thing of one of _her_ friends. Ino had always been highly protective of those close to her and this latest incident with her own cousin trying to kill Naruko seemed to have kicked that instinct into overdrive.

"Naruko-chan." Hinata, up until now silent, walked forward to stand next to Ino, "I-I understand that y-you want to protect us, and I a-appreciate the thought, but Ino-chan is right. We are kunoichi a-and we will risk dying on an m-mission eventually. Please, trust us. We are y-your teammates and I no more believe that you are the Kyuubi than Ino-chan does."

That did it. Naruko grabbed her teammates into a tight hug and cried freely, for the first time in who knows how long, all the while sobbing out her thanks to them. Although startled at first, Ino and Hinata returned the hug with feeling, sensing that their friend needed this.

Kurenai, Anko and Sarutobi smiled at the sight before them. Even although the two other genin kunoichi didn't know the full truth yet, they still dismissed the idea that Naruko was the Kyuubi reincarnated without a second thought, which boded well for when Naruko told them the real truth.

'_Naruko, trust in your friends. They will not let you down._' Sarutobi thought as he watched the girl who was his granddaughter in all but blood weep herself dry.

At length, Naruko recovered her composure and apologised to her friends for doubting them.

"Don't let it happen again!" Ino said, her threatening tone mitigated by her gentle smile. Hinata blushed red and pushed her forefingers together in embarrassment.

"Naruko, is that your mother's sword?" Sarutobi asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, I found her last night." Naruko said, brightening slightly, "Do you want to see her?"

"If you wouldn't mind." Sarutobi replied. Naruko reached back, grasped the hilt and drew the sword, which made a metallic {ZING} sound as it was drawn.

The blade was a work of art; there was no other way to describe it. The distinctive ripple of master-forged steel reflected back at the watching ninja. Engraved on the blade were intricately worked waves, tides and swirls that almost seemed to be in motion.

"W-Wow…" Breathed Hinata. Ino was, rather unusually for her, speechless at the sight of the sword. Anko whistled appreciatively and Kurenai could only nod in silent agreement with her friend.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" Naruko said proudly.

"Naruko, why do you keep referring to the sword as a female?" Sarutobi asked curiously.

Naruko grinned. "Only a lady could be as beautiful as Benihime here." she replied.

"'Crimson Princess'?" Kurenai asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Beats 'Ryūketsu Shinigami' any day of the week." Naruko replied with a shrug.

This time, Anko was the one to raise an eyebrow. "Wow, _that_ name takes me back. 'Bloody Reaper' used to make the Kiri-nins run for the hills as soon as Kushina-sama drew it. Aside from the Seven Swordsmen."

Sarutobi chuckled. "Yes, but then only a couple of them could go toe-to-toe with Kushina on anything approaching an even footing. The rest were beaten to a bloody pulp and never dared challenge her again if they survived."

He then looked at Naruko seriously. "I must warn you, do not let anyone else try and hold the blade once you have bloodied it. It will be sealed to you and no one else will be able to hold it after it is drawn from the sheath." He warned Naruko sternly.

"Yeah, there was a note on it from the Nidaime Uzukage, Uzumaki Rensa." Naruko replied, "She was the one who made it."

"Wait, _Uzukage_? Uzumaki Rensa?" Ino asked, confused.

"The Uzukage was the leader of Uzushiogakure no Sato, which was destroyed at the start of the Third Great Shinobi War." Naruko replied, "And most of the population of Uzushiogakure was made up of the Uzumaki Clan, so all of the Uzukage's were Uzumaki's. Rensa-baa-chan was my Great-Great-Great Grandmother."

"You're in the same situation as Sasuke-san." Hinata breathed.

Naruko snorted. "And unlike him, I'm not a teme about it. He is such an EMO!"

Sarutobi interrupted before Mount. Ino could erupt. "Have you though of a new name for Benihime yet?" he asked.

"Not yet." Naruko said with a shake of her head, "I mean it's not something to decide on at the drop of a hat!"

"Very true." Sarutobi said approvingly, "Kushina was careful not to use Benihime until she had decided on a name. She used an ANBU ninjatō until then. I would advise you to do the same."

"Right." Naruko nodded as she resheathed Benihime

"I don't get it." Ino said with a frown, "It's a nice sword, sure, but why can't anyone use it once Naruko's blooded it? And why is it so special?"

"There are cunningly wrought seals on the blade and hilt that react badly to such a thing happening." Sarutobi replied, "If someone other than the chosen wielder tries to hold it, Benihime sends a massive electrical shock up their arm, directly through the tenketsu and into the chakra network."

Hinata's eyes widened. "T-That kind of damage would be irreparable!" she exclaimed. As a Hyuuga, she was an expert on attacks on the chakra network, so nobody disbelieved her.

"And as for why it is so special…" Sarutobi said with a small smile, "The one who wields Benihime -or whatever the wielder calls the blade- is the Heir or Heiress of the Uzumaki Clan."

"Not that being the Heiress is any great feat when it's just me in the Clan." Naruko muttered.

Ino smacked her lightly across the back of the head. "Stop trying to be like Sasuke-kun! You can't be as cool as he is, so stop trying!"

"Who'd _want_ to be like Sasuke-teme?!" Naruko shot back as she rubbed her head where Ino had hit her, "And I wasn't _trying_ to be like him anyway!"

"Yeah? Well you were doing a half-decent attempt at it!" Ino retorted. Kurenai and Anko hid smiles as they saw what Ino was doing.

"LIKE HELL!" Naruko shouted indignantly.

Sarutobi coughed. "As…important as this must be too you two, I should tell you all what I held your team back for, would you say Naruko?"

Naruko brightened and grinned mischievously. A grin that Sarutobi returned, making Ino and Hinata shift nervously.

"Now, unlike the other teams, Team 8 will not be moved into an ordinary house or apartment." Sarutobi said once he finished grinning at Naruko, "This is for the reason that Ino-chan here recently discovered."

Ino and Hinata cursed under their breaths at the villagers in general.

"While I disagree with your way of expressing yourselves on the subject, I agree with your sentiments." Sarutobi told them wryly, "Anyway, Naruko recently defeated Toji Mizuki, last of the Toji Clan, when he was about to become a Nuke-nin, thus she qualified for both the Spoils of Victory Act, as well as the Conquering Clan Act."

Hinata's jaw dropped. "Y-You mean Naruko-chan now owns everything that once b-belonged to Mizuki? A-And everything his Clan owned too?" she blurted out in astonishment.

"Just so." Sarutobi said, Seeing the incomprehension and stupefaction on the faces on the two jonin and Ino, Sarutobi explained, "The Spoils of Victory Act was passed by the Shodaime as an incentive to capture Nuke-nins before they left the village. Anyone who succeeds in capturing a Nuke-nin before they leave the village, as long as the captor is from a Clan, is entitled to all ninja equipment owned by the Nuke-nin.

The Conquering Clan Act was actually introduced by my sensei, Senju Tobirama, the Nidaime Hokage, when several smaller clans were severely reduced or wiped out during the Great Shinobi Wars. There was a lot of nonsense about honour duels between shinobi who were the last of their clan back then, so Tobirama-sensei, having gotten sick of the whole business, made this law to put a stop to it. Very basically, if the last members of two separate clans fight, the loser cedes all belongings, properties and monies to the victor.

As you can imagine, after the first couple of losers did lose everything of their clan, the honour duels tapered of fairly quickly."

"No doubt." Kurenai muttered in shock.

"So the gaki gets Mizuki's room at the barracks?" Anko asked, seemingly unperturbed and unimpressed.

"No, no." Sarutobi replied, "She gets the Toji Clan's Compound and estate in the Clan Residential District, in addition to everything in it, a few shares in various businesses in and out of Konoha and any and all Clan Jutsu and styles formerly belonging to the Toji Clan."

Anko actually staggered slightly. "She gets ownership of the _**Kazeshini-Ryu (Death Wind Dragon)**_ Fūma Shuriken style?" she asked weakly.

Seeing that Naruko was confused, Sarutobi said, "A style that focuses on using Fūma Shuriken in close combat. The Toji Clan was well known for their prowess with the style and several members were well known for fighting several foes at once while using it."

"Cool. Definitely have to add one to my 'special arsenal'." Naruko said with a smirk.

"That would be a good idea." Sarutobi agreed, "Moving on, Naruko here has spent the last few days cleaning the place up, as it has not been used in twenty years. I believe I shall have to pay you for, let's see now, four D-Rank Missions for your hard work Naruko-chan."

"Ji-chan, I was just cleaning my new house!" Naruko protested.

"An estate that can house fifty people comfortably, not to mention moderately large grounds that need a gardeners touch." Sarutobi said dryly. "I think you deserve the money for the effort. Not to mention the fact that I'm taking liberty with your property by making it your genin team's home."

"Well…if you say so Ji-chan." Naruko brightened slightly, "Hey that makes four solo D-Ranks, one solo B-Rank _and_ one solo A-Rank, all before I'm an official genin! Beat that, Sasuke-teme!"

Ino smiled ruefully. Even she had to admit that Naruko had beaten Sasuke here. But still…

"Baka! Stop calling him a teme!" Ino shouted as she bopped Naruko across the head lightly, just hard enough to get her point across.

"But he _is_ a teme, Ino-chan! " Naruko retorted, "Look at how he treated Sakura-chan just now!"

Ino faltered slightly. She knew Naruko had a point. Sakura hadn't done anything to deserve those scathing remarks about her origin. And as for Kiba…

"I'm more worried about Kiba, actually." Ino said, chewing her lip slightly, "I mean, you saw how he treated Forehead as well, right? What if he tries something with her?"

"He'll get neutered." Naruko said flatly, "If not by me or you, then by Tsume-sama or Hana-sempai. He's an idiot, but he isn't that foolish."

"He'd _better_ not be that stupid." Anko growled a kunai in one hand that Sarutobi couldn't remember her having drawn.

"I am certain that Kiba will behave himself." Sarutobi said in a placating manner, "And I have taken the precaution of giving Haruno Sakura a chakra sensitive locking seal on her door. None but she can open the door, and the door itself is reinforced with several seals that make it resilient to all but high rank fire jutsu."

"That…ought to make her relatively safe." Kurenai said thoughtfully, "This is supposing that Inuzuka Kiba is stupid enough to try to do something to her, of course."

"I'm going to start working on Fūinjutsu." Naruko said grimly, "I was looking over the index of the Uzumaki Fūinjutsu Library and there are some useful seals in there, like one that sends up a chakra flare when certain conditions are violated the _**Koware Kyōkai Fūin (Broken Boundary Seal)**_."

Sarutobi's head snapped around at that. "You could have that seal made?" he asked quickly.

"My calligraphy needs some work before I can begin to learn even basic storage seals and explosive tags." Naruko said thoughtfully, "But with my clones and access to Iruka-sensei, I could probably get to the point of creating an intermediate seal like the _**Koware Kyōkai Fūin **_in about three months, perhaps two if I _really_ abuse my clones."

"Do it." Sarutobi said, making it an order, "That seal could be far more useful than just guarding a genin's bedroom. Consider this an ongoing C-Rank mission."

Naruko snapped to attention. "Hai, Hokage-sama." she said seriously, soldier to commander rather than granddaughter to grandfather as she usually did.

Sarutobi nodded. "Now, let's head to Team 8's new home. Naruko-chan, send some clones to the Hyuuga estate and the Yamanaka Flower Shop to pick up your teammates things."

Naruko nodded and created fifty shadow clones, which split into two groups and sped off out the door to the homes of her teammates.

"Why do I suddenly feel like I unleashed gremlins in a machine shop?" Sarutobi asked aloud, "Oh, that's right - I just sent fifty Naruko's out into Konoha without supervision."

Naruko pouted at this remark.

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**Timeskip - Ten minutes later**

**Gate to Former Toji Clan Estate, Clan Residential District**

"That…is an impressive gate." Anko deadpanned. Team 8 and the Hokage stood in front of what was indeed an impressive gate. The gate itself was three meters high and made of intricately woven steel, forming a kind of lattice. In structure, the gate would be termed a Nijūmon (Two Story Gate) as it had a second floor that was obviously accessible, considering it had a half dozen of Naruko-clones standing guard on the second level.

"Impressive, but useless against Ninja." Kurenai said critically.

Naruko shrugged and walked over to the gate and stopped on top of a circular indentation just in front of the gate and turned towards the group.

"I, Uzumaki Naruko, Clan Heiress of the Uzumaki Clan, do recognise Yamanaka Ino, Hyuuga Hinata, Mitarashi Anko and Yūhi Kurenai as honoured guests and allies of the Uzumaki Clan." the last Uzumaki said in a clear voice, "They may come and go from here at their own discretion."

The indentation glowed and the impressive gate behind her retracted into the ground with barely a well-oiled click, leaving Team 8 gawking. Naruko merely turned and walked through the gateway as if it was an everyday occurrence, which it probably was for her.

"…How?" Kurenai got out.

"The original Clan Compounds of Konoha have defences that activate when the seals that govern them detect that the bloodline they are keyed to be reduced to a single member." Sarutobi told them as he led them through the gateway, "A lot of them were created by the Nidaime Hokage and, when he forced through the Conquering Clan Act, he altered those seals to also detect when his law had been invoked correctly, so as you can see, Naruko is well protected here."

"But that gate-" Kurenai started to ask, before the sight before her made her speechless.

A beautiful oriental manor stood proudly before them, made in the _Buke-Zukuri_ style (Military Family Style) of a traditional aristocrat's palace. The main stone-paved path was lined on either side by Komainu (Lion-Dog) statues, with the occasional pair of Kitsune statues here and there.

That sight was breathtaking enough, but the army of Naruko clones running through katas across the grounds was even more so. Especially since the clones were practicing a style that none of Team 8 recognised.

"This is the Uzushiogakure version of our own _**Hakage **_style, the _**Ushio-ken**_." Sarutobi explained, "In order to learn her Clan Style, Naruko has to master this style first."

"Shouldn't she focus on fixing the errors in the _**Hakage**_ style that she knows first, before she learns an advanced Taijutsu style like that one?" Kurenai asked.

Sarutobi gave her a strange look. "Kurenai that _is_ a basic style that was taught to entry-level genin in Uzushiogakure." he said carefully.

Kurenai's eyes bulged slightly. "But…that taijutsu, at least from what I could make of the katas, was more advanced than the style that _I_ use!" she exclaimed.

The Hokage shrugged. "Uzu had much higher expectations of its genin. Of course almost every Ninja in Uzu, with a few exceptions, were members of the Uzumaki Clan." he replied.

"Damn. The gaki's not doing too badly." Anko said appreciatively, "Hey old man, won't she need to spar in order to improve her style some more?"

"From what I hear Anko, your services will not be needed in that department." The Hokage replied with a chuckle, "Gai-kun has asked to be allowed to give her remedial taijutsu lessons, as well as give her stamina, muscle and endurance training, subject to Kurenai's permission of course."

Kurenai's eyebrow twitched. '_First she goes to Iruka for advice on the __**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**__, then she says she's going to have remedial calligraphy lessons with Iruka and now Gai is wanting to give her training as well. Is she even my student?_'

Aloud, she said carefully, 'Hokage-sama, is it just me, or is everyone trying to poach my student?"

Sarutobi chuckled again as they approached the entrance to the mansion proper. "I'm certain it seems that way to you Kurenai, but Naruko has been quite severely handicapped by the Academy senseis' sabotage. She requires help in areas that you yourself have admitted you have little skill in: your calligraphy is average at best and you are a genjutsu expert with, again, average skill in taijutsu. I would advise you to allow Iruka-kun and Gai-kun to aid her in those areas and focus on her chakra control and adding a few ninjutsu to her arsenal."

Kurenai grumbled at first, but accepted it with a slight sagging of her shoulders.

Naruko was waiting for them at the front door, a smile on her face. "This way." she called over her shoulder as she opened the door and stepped through, closely followed by Team 8 and the Hokage.

The interior of the building was surprisingly spartan for such a fancy mansion, although Naruko explained that she had gathered up most of the expensive things and sealed them in storage scrolls, as well as throwing out most of the damaged things.

"Ji-chan told me about the G.H.A. yesterday, so I set some of my clones to setting up rooms for Ino-chan and Hinata-chan, as well as rooms for Anko-sensei and Kurenai-sensei for if they want to stay here." Naruko told them as they walked towards the living quarters.

"Naruko, you didn't have to do that!" Kurenai protested.

The Uzumaki Heiress shrugged. "It was more for Anko-sensei, because Ji-chan told me her landlord is being a teme again." she replied.

Anko looked briefly surprised, before sending a small glare towards Sarutobi, who had an innocent look on his face.

The Snake Mistress turned back to Naruko. "I won't accept charity, gaki, so I'll be paying you rent. Understand?"

Naruko nodded. "How much does your landlord charge you, Anko-sensei?" she asked.

"Five hundred ryo a month for a dingy little apartment." Anko said sourly.

Naruko scowled. That was how much _she_ had had to pay for her old apartment.

"I think two hundred a month is more than enough, wouldn't you say." Naruko offered.

"Deal!" Anko said quickly, making Kurenai and the Hokage laugh. Ino and Hinata giggled at the mutual accord the two had struck.

"I'll draw up a rental contract later on." Sarutobi said once he stopped laughing, "Would tomorrow be acceptable?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Anko said with a small grin.

"Here we are." Naruko said as they reached a wall that had a five pointed star that had symbols on its points representing the five elemental ninjutsu on it and a Yin and Yang symbol in the centre.

"A dead end?" Ino asked bluntly.

"Nope, a Karakuri hidden door." Naruko said with a grin. She walked up to the wall and hit the elements in a specific order so fast that no one could see the order. With a grinding clank, the Yin and Yang centre of the star opened up, revealing a switch.

Naruko flipped the switch up and down before pushing it in and quickly withdrawing her hand. The flap for the switch compartment closed with a snap and the entire wall shuddered before sinking into the ground, revealing a corridor beyond it.

"This way." Naruko said as she stepped through the doorway.

"Yeesh, the Toji Clan was paranoid." Anko muttered as they followed Naruko. Behind them, the door clanked shut again.

"You think _that's_ paranoid? Aside from the living quarters, the entire mansion is nothing but one giant trap!" Naruko called over her shoulders as they walked into the living room.

Sitting down, Naruko continued, "The rest of the mansion is a decoy. The entire Clan lived in this wing, which is marked down as being 'storage' on almost every blueprint you look at. There are traps of all sorts across the entirety of the decoy-part of the mansion, which are controlled from a special room in the basement of this section."

"How'd you get into this section then? If you didn't know it was here, then it might as well not exist." asked Kurenai.

"The key line is 'almost every blueprint', Kurenai-sensei." Naruko replied, "Almost none of the blueprints submitted to the Civil Management Office are anything close to accurate, but the secret files in the Hokage's office are 100% accurate and have to be by law."

"Makes sense." Anko remarked, "If you have a rowdy Clan that needs putting down, having an accurate layout is critical to reducing casualties."

"Just so." Sarutobi said with an approving nod at Anko's deduction. "The Toji Clan specialised in creating Karakuri mechanisms, as well as their unique shuriken fighting style, so it is of no surprise that their mansion is a death-trap once the mechanisms are activated."

Ino gulped. Noticing the uneasiness in Ino's posture, Naruko gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry Ino-chan. The traps are deactivated and only the Clan Heir or Clan Head can activate them." she reassure her friend, who smiled back and nodded her thanks.

A loud clank signalled the arrival of the platoon of Naruko-clones carrying Ino and Hinata's stuff.

"Let's get you girls settled in!" Naruko said enthusiastically.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Timeskip - The Next Day, 11.00am**

**Hokage's Office, Hokage Tower**

"Team 8, reporting for duty Hokage-sama." Kurenai said with a small smile. Behind her, Naruko, Ino and Hinata were waiting for their first mission. Well, Naruko had already _technically_ completed six missions and was on her seventh, but this was her first mission as a member of a team.

"Indeed." smiled Sarutobi. Next to him was Iruka, who nodded to Naruko with a grin.

"Let's see here…" Sarutobi said, looking through the scrolls of D-Ranks for a decent one. "Ah, here we are. The Konoha Hospital ordered a delivery of medicine from Kusa no Kuni and it is waiting in the warehouse for delivery."

Kurenai looked at her genin. Naruko didn't like hospitals and was slightly pale, but nodded at her. Ino and Hinata were indifferent to the mission.

"Team 8 accepts the mission." Kurenai said, taking the scroll from the Hokage. "Team 8, move out!" she ordered and they did indeed move out.

Thanks to Naruko's Shadow Clones, Team 8 finished the delivery mission in good time to accept another one, this time weeding a garden.

Hinata and Ino were the ones to shine in this mission, Ino because of her knowledge of botany and Hinata because she grew herbs as a hobby, so Naruko had taken her lead from them.

The Hokage had been very pleased with Team 8 and had dismissed them early so they could help Anko move into Naruko's home.

"Jeez, Anko-sensei. You like bondage or something?" Naruko asked as a full body latex suit fell out of a box onto the floor of Anko's former apartment, much to Anko's embarrassment. Ino and Hinata went bright red at the sight, with Hinata fainting at Naruko's words.

"So what if I do gaki?" Anko shot back, a blush on her face.

"Soooo…you like being tied up?" Ino asked her face still red.

"And who says that _I'm_ the one who's tied up?" Anko said with a lecherous grin on her face.

"B-But that's a _female_ bodysuit!" Ino pointed out.

"And?" Anko asked unperturbed, "I like girls _and_ guys."

"Eh? You can do that?" Naruko asked, curiously.

"Yeah, 'course you can." Anko replied as she put the suit back in the box and secured the lid properly before giving it to a Naruko-clone, "Quite a few kunoichi bat for the other team, although most of 'em aren't as open about it as I am. Then you get kunoichi like me, who are, as I like to call it, greedy and bat for both teams."

"ANKO!" Kurenai shrieked her face bright red, "This is hardly appropriate for three twelve year olds! They shouldn't even do…_that_…until they're married!"

"Firstly Nai-chan, they are legally adults. Old enough to kill, old enough to sleep with someone, or even listen to someone talk about bondage." Anko said seriously, "Second, don't try and enforce your morals on others. I know you don't approve of the fact I like girls as well as boys, but it's up to these gakis to decide for themselves who and what they like, _not_ you."

The three genin gulped as the small apartment filled with tension as the two jonin stared each other in the eyes, both unwilling to concede the point.

Naruko looked between the two older females and sighed. '_Why the hell does everything I ask always end up causing problems?_' she thought and clapped her hands once, which broke the tension and drew the attention of Anko and Kurenai.

"Look, I only asked because I was curious. I don't want you two fighting because of a question I asked." Naruko said, "And for the record, Anko-sensei is right. We decide who we like, not you Kurenai-sensei. I will listen to your opinion, but I will like who I like regardless."

"Attagirl, gaki!" Anko said, clapping Naruko on the back heartily, "Now, wake up Hinata there so we can get this show on the road!"

As her team scurried around handing boxes to Naruko-clones, Kurenai frowned. Naruko and Anko, in constant close proximity, for an extended period….

…This was a bad thing.

'_They'll either kill each other, or Naruko will end up bound in that latex suit._' Kurenai concluded with a feeling of dread.

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**Next Chapter: More D-Ranks, Training and the Flames of Youth!**

**Author's Note: No, Anko is not going to be a member of the harem. Will she seduce Naruko at least once? Hmmm….interesting idea that I'll have to think about.**

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**Jutsu Lexicon**

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Ninpo: Kakuremino no Jutsu - Ninja Art: Magic Cloak of Invisibility Jutsu

Rank: E

Type: _Ninjutsu, General Skill_

Effect: _An Academy level skill that does not require chakra to use. The user hides behind a cloth or cape that is painted to match the surrounding background. Used extensively by Uzumaki Naruko during her pranking sprees._

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	7. 7: More D-Ranks, Training and the Flames

**Authors Note: Guest reviews are, to quote Shikamaru, becoming troublesome. Why, you might ask?**

**Because I have to respond to them via my chapters, rather than a PM. I will ask that you review while logged in, so I can respond by PM rather than waste time and page space responding this way.**

**The guest review in question was of chapter two and calls the council 'an overdone fanon concept'. This is incorrect.**

**During peacetime, the Honoured Advisory Council (Danzō, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado) serve as a council to advise the Hokage.**

**If the Hokage dies without clearly naming a successor, a council formed of the Fire Daimyo, the Advisory Council, the Head of ANBU, The Jonin Commander (Shikaku Nara) as well as the Fire Daimyo's own Council will appoint one.**

**Both councils are on the Naruto Wikia. For the first, type in 'advisory council', for the second merely look at the Fire Daimyo's page.**

**I merely altered the idea to include the other clan heads and a scattering of civilians.**

**Enough from me for now. On to the fic!**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is Masashi Kishimoto's creation, not mine.**

"Dattebayo!" -normal speech

'_Dobe_' -Thoughts

'{_Shannaro!}_' -Inner Sakura

"**Ningen****"**-Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Speech

'**Brat****'** -Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Thoughts

"_**Kage Bunshin!**_" -Ninjutsu/Genjutsu/Taijutsu move.

**Chapter 7: More D-Ranks, Training and the Flames of Youth!**

**08.00am, 1 Week Later**

**New Uzumaki Clan Compound, Clan Residential District**

Naruko walked into the kitchen, yawning tiredly. She was wearing panties and a shirt, her usual sleepwear. She waved a hello to Ino, who was already at the table eating a very spartan meal, which was a very small salad.

"Is Hinata-chan up yet?" Naruko asked as she grabbed a cup Ramen from the cupboard.

"Yeah, I think she's doing her morning warm-ups in the training room." Ino replied after she swallowed her mouthful of greens before her eyes zeroed in on the cup Ramen Naruko was filling with hot water.

"Urgh, you _need_ to eat something other than Ramen, Naruko." the Yamanaka Heiress said, wrinkling her nose in disgust at the instant meal.

"Just as soon as you start eating more than an anorexic sparrow, Ino-chan." Naruko retorted as she waited impatiently for her breakfast to cook.

"You both have a point brats." a voice said from behind them. Turning around, Ino and Naruko immediately blushed red at the sight before them.

Leaning on the doorframe with her hands crossed underneath her breasts was Anko, wearing a wide grin and nothing else. Literally.

"Anko-sensei!" Ino yelped and swung around to face away from the naked kunoichi, "Put on some _clothes_!"

"Meh. We're all girls here." Anko pointed out, "Why so shy, flower girl?"

Ino growled at the nickname. Anko had given it to her after discovering that Ino was not only knowledgeable about flowers, but also almost obsessed with them. She never missed the chance to tease Ino about it.

"Because it's not _decent_ to walk around naked!" Ino retorted, face still red as a rising sun.

"Do tell who's going to see me other than you three gakis?" Anko challenged, "And even if they do, so what? I'm damn proud of my body, so as they say: If you've got it, flaunt it!" and posed sexily as she spoke.

Naruko, who had been staring at Anko with an enraptured expression, shook her head and blurted out, "How the hell are your boobs that big?"

Anko cupped the aforementioned boobs. "Ah, these girls? Plenty of varied foods, milk and exercise." She said with a smirk.

Naruko looked at her own cleavage. She had the second biggest breasts in her graduating class, second to Hinata's D-cups. She was currently a mid-C cup. Ino was a large B-cup.

"Well, I suppose I could eat other things…" Naruko mused aloud, causing Ino to gape at her.

"You'll listen to what she says but not me?!" Ino squeaked in fury.

Naruko shrugged. "She has bigger boobs than you, so I think she knows what she's talking about." she replied.

"And...It doesn't bother you that she's naked?" Ino pressed for clarification.

Naruko just looked at her for a moment. "One, She's right; we're all girls here, Two, It's her body, she can do with it as she pleases and Three, we are kunoichi. Using our bodies as weapons is part and parcel of what we do, a prime example being seduction missions." the Uzumaki Heiress said slowly, as if she were lecturing a child.

"_Exactly_!" Anko said approvingly, "Now that at least one of you has learned your lesson, I'll go and get dressed."

With that, the Tokujo turned and walked back towards her room, her swaying hips catching Naruko's attention and making her blush again.

Ino meanwhile, was irritated. "You mean she did that deliberately?!" she said in disbelief.

"Uh…Yes, I do believe she implied as much a moment ago." Naruko said with a shake of her head.

"WHY?" Ino sounded incredulous.

"I think she was making a point, Ino-chan." Naruko said thoughtfully, "I mean, did you _see_ her body? Curves in all the right places and nicely muscled to boot. All that from eating a normal amount of various different foods in addition to regular ninja work."

Ino looked sceptical, making Naruko sigh. "Look, Ino-chan. Who is the more experienced kunoichi, you or Anko-sensei?"

"Anko-sensei of course, but what has that to do with anything?" Ino asked.

"Everything, Ino-chan." Naruko said, "I never listened to you or Sakura-chan about Ramen, because I didn't think you knew what you were talking about. You and her are my age, inexperienced and barely ate anything because of your 'diet'. Anko-sensei, on the other hand, is a mature, experienced kunoichi who eats normal portions of food. Well, she does eat a lot of Dango, but that must be her Ramen."

"O…kay. So?" Ino said bewildered.

"It boils down to this: ask any experienced kunoichi you like whether or not they have ever needed to diet since becoming kunoichi. I bet you a hundred ryo that every single one will say no." Naruko replied, "Personally, if it means getting a body like Anko-sensei's, I'm happy to eat different foods. You need to ask yourself a question, Ino-chan: are you a kunoichi or just playing ninja?"

With that question, Naruko grabbed her chopsticks, cup Ramen, and walked out the door, leaving a confused and irritated Ino behind her.

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**Timeskip - 3 Hours Later**

**Hokage's Office, Hokage Tower**

Yūhi Kurenai was very smug. Her team, thanks in part to Naruko's Shadow Clones, had completed more than twice the number of D-Rank missions than the rest of the new teams had.

The missions had always been boring chores for the most part. Weeding gardens, mending fences, delivering packages, finding lost pets, helping people move house, walking dogs and buying groceries were just some of the missions D-Ranks included.

Out of the last week, only two missions stood out in Kurenai's mind. The first was the time they had gone to the Inuzuka's to walk their dogs. Kiba had been the one to greet them at the door and had shouted to his mother that 'Five bitches were at the door.'

Tsume had arrived at the door to see Kiba wrapped in snakes by an irate Snake Mistress. After Anko had reluctantly released the boy, Tsume explained that -this time- Kiba had merely been using Inuzuka terminology. The Inuzuka were very close to their Ninken partners, to the point that some of their pack-behaviour and mannerisms rubbed off on them, meaning that when Kiba called them bitches, he meant females rather than using the word as an insult.

Things had gone more smoothly after that, but Kiba had made a point to stay as far away from Anko as was possible when they returned the dogs to the Inuzuka Compound.

The second had been more problematic. They had accepted a mission to clear a field of cleared forest of tree stumps. Unfortunately, when they had arrived, the man who had sent in the mission request had refused to let the 'Snake Whore' or 'The Demon Bitch' into his field and had tried to hit Naruko.

After the man had been sent to the hospital after being beaten unconscious by Ino and Hinata, the Hokage had merely fined them a D-Rank missions pay. The man, once he was out of the hospital, had been blacklisted from putting forth mission requests…ever, for attempting to attack a Konoha Shinobi.

The mission they had just completed, the infamous 'Catching Tora' mission, was one for the books. Hinata had just called out to Tora, and the cat had zoomed into her arms. Evidently, Hinata was good with animals. This had put Team 8 at the top of the Tora Retrieval Leaderboard with the fastest time ever, barely half an hour.

As the client, Madame Shijimi, the wife of the Daimyo of Hi no Kuni, left, Tora being squashed to death in her vice-like grip, Team 8 felt rather sorry for the poor thing.

"Very well done, Team 8." Sarutobi told them, "That mission is usually the bane of the genin. Tora escapes far too frequently, so it's sort of a right of passage to do the mission at least once-"

"TORA-CHAN, NOOOOO! GET BACK HERE!" was heard from the corridor.

"-I don't suppose you'd be willing to grab Tora again?" Sarutobi changed what he had been about to say, with a slight amount of hope in his voice.

"Regrettably Hokage-sama, we have a training session this afternoon, so I'm afraid we must decline." Kurenai said smoothly, "Might I suggest Team 7?"

Behind her, Team 8 giggled at the thought of Team 7 being scratched to pieces by the cat, as she usually did to genin attempting to catch her.

Sarutobi eyed Kurenai with suspicion. "You really want to embarrass them that much?"

"They need a wake up call." Kurenai replied, "I've seen their so called 'training sessions', and it is pathetic. Hatake doesn't teach them anything, he just makes them spar all the time, with some teambuilding exercises thrown in here and there."

Sarutobi sighed. Just as he had suspected. "Very well. I shall also have a word with Kakashi." he said with a resigned look on his face.

Kurenai nodded. Kakashi was about to get one hell of a wakeup call.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Timeskip - Half an hour later**

**Training Ground 8**

"Waaaaagggh!" Ino yelped as she landed on her back yet again. She had been thrown there by Naruko and this made the sixth time in a row that Naruko had sent her flying, which was a complete reversal from how it had been in the Academy.

'_It's not fair! Her __**Ushio-ken**__ is far more advanced than the __**Hakage**__ style that I use!_' Ino thought pathetically as she got up once again. Thankfully, before Naruko could bruise her any further, Anko stopped the sparring session.

"Alright brats, that's enough warming up!" the Snake Mistress called gleefully from where she stood. Naruko immediately dropped from the ready stance of _**Ushio-ken**_ and grinned mischievously at Ino, who stuck her tongue out in return.

Hinata had been sparring against Kurenai and had been doing a credible job of it when the three genin lined up and waited for their teachers to address them.

"Right then." Kurenai said looking at each of her genin in turn, "Over the last week, Anko and I have been observing your various skills and come to some conclusions.

Naruko, you have, I am sorry to say, abysmal chakra control due to your Clan's heritage. I am going to start you on the Tree-Climbing Exercise, followed by Water-Walking. Your Taijutsu is growing steadily better with every passing day, although I think it needs some work with someone of more equal skill to fully work out the kinks."

Naruko nodded.

Kurenai turned to the other blond in the Training Ground. "Ino, you have excellent Chakra control, although that is mostly due to you having such small reserves. You will also be starting on the Tree-Climbing Exercise."

"But why?" Ino asked, "Doesn't the Tree-Climbing Exercise just improve your control?"

"It also builds up your chakra reserves, Ino." Kurenai explained, "Exactly the same as exhausting your available reserves does, except more reliably and at a slower, steadier pace."

Kurenai frown slightly as she spoke the next part, "Your taijutsu is…substandard. While it is adequate for sparring purposes against other users of the _**Hakage**_ style, against someone trying to kill you it is insufficient. I will be attempting to find you a style that might be a better fit for you than _**Hakage**_, but keep practicing it until I do, ok?"

Ino nodded sadly. She hated being bad at something. Naruko reached over and put a comforting hand on Ino's shoulder.

"I'll look through the Uzu Archive and see if there's one that'll fit you to the bone Ino-chan." she said with a smile.

Ino was floored by this offer. The Uzu Archive was what Naruko had taken to calling the scrolls left to her by her mother, so Ino recognised that Naruko had just offered her a piece of her Clan's legacy, her birthright.

"Naruko…I couldn't…" Ino protested weakly.

"Look at it from my point of view Ino-chan." Naruko said seriously, "I am the last of my clan and I am the next best thing to sterile thanks to the Uchiha who attacked me when I was seven. When I die, I want the legacy of the Uzumaki to live on, not be buried in some dusty storeroom. The best way I can accomplish that is by ensuring that my will give the contents to those who will use them and by helping my friends with their ninja skills."

The rest of Team 8 had been listening to her as she spoke. Anko and Kurenai looked concerned at Naruko's tale.

"What do you mean by 'next best thing to sterile'?" Kurenai asked gently.

"I was stabbed in the womb with a poison-coated tantō." Naruko replied softly, her hand automatically pressing against where the blade had pierced her body, "The med-nin were able to stop the spread of the poison, but -through either malicious intent or idiotic mistake- the poison is still in my womb. I was told that any foetus would die within the first month."

"Isn't there anything that can be done?" asked Ino, tears running down her cheeks at such a thing befalling her friend.

"My cousin, Tsunade of the Sannin, could purge the poison safely. Anyone else would risk sterilising me for good." Naruko replied sadly, "And the chance that cousin Tsunade will ever return to Konoha is slim to none."

There was silence in the field, broken only by Ino's sniffling until Kurenai cleared her throat and turned to Hinata.

"Hinata, like Ino you have good chakra control, but small reserves. Tree Climbing for you as well. I cannot help you with your Taijutsu unfortunately, but I will say that it does not seem to suit you." she said without rancour.

"Hai." Hinata said softly, her concerned lavender eyes focussed on Naruko even as she replied to Kurenai.

"OK Gaki's, my turn." Anko said with a wicked smile, "Take one of these papers each." She held out three pieces of square white paper to the three genin, who took a piece each.

"Alright, now channel some chakra - as small an amount as you can- into the paper." Anko directed as she withdrew another piece from her equipment pouch and held it up. "It will do one of five things: burn, crumble, get wet, get cut or crumple. This will tell us if any of you have an Elemental Affinity."

Hinata's eyes widened. "Ano…B-But that's at least chunin-level t-training." she pointed out quietly.

"If we were actually working on _mastering_ which element you get, I'd agree." Anko said with a grin, "This is just so we know which elements are easiest for you three to learn."

Naruko cheered up at this and channelled some chakra into the paper. It immediately split in half and both sides got very wet.

"Wow." Anko said with a raised eyebrow, "A strong Wind affinity AND a strong Water affinity. Unusual for a fresh genin."

"It's another Uzumaki trait." Naruko replied, "Our chakra is so dense and powerful that we often have multiple affinities and our affinities manifest at a young age. I would have tested my affinities myself, but there wasn't any of this paper in the Archive."

"So why'd you choose water and wind to learn the day before your genin test?" Kurenai asked curiously.

"Quite a few of the jutsu in the archive are Suiton and Futon ninjutsu." Naruko replied, "Uzu is an island, so a lot of the jutsu used and developed there focussed on using and reinforcing the natural defences of the Isle of Uzu to its defender's advantage."

"Makes sense." Kurenai said with a nod, "After Futon and Suiton, what is the most common jutsu in the Archive?"

"Doton, followed by Katon. Almost no Raiton other than the more widely available ones." Naruko said automatically.

"There has to be hundreds of jutsu in the Archive, so how could you say that as if it was rote-learned?" Anko asked, curiously.

"Shadow Clones." Naruko replied simply, making Anko facepalm at not seeing the obvious answer.

"Ino, your turn." Kurenai said. Ino channelled chakra into the paper and it got soaked, with a small corner burning slightly.

"A strong Water affinity AND a weak Fire affinity?" Anko gaped, "One person almost never has opposing elemental affinities, unless they have a Kekkei Genkai!"

"Well, it can't be a Kekkei Genkai, because then the affinities would be of exactly equal strength." Kurenai pointed out, "Even Naruko's strong Water affinity was slightly weaker than her Wind affinity, so I doubt that's it."

"Drat. I was hoping it was a Kekkei Genkai." pouted Anko, prompting sweatdrops to emerge on the rest of Team 8 at her attitude.

"Hinata?" Kurenai said, delicately moving the conversation away from Anko for the moment.

Hinata hesitated then channelled chakra into the paper. It very quickly became drenched by water, with a small cut going about a third of the way up the paper.

"Another strong Water affinity, with a middling Wind affinity." Anko noted, "Huh, looks like Hokage-sama knew what he was doing."

"What do you mean by that?" Ino asked pointedly.

"Some people believe that elemental affinities can be used similar to personality match ups." Kurenai said disdainfully, "For example, in your case, people with Primary Wind affinities supposedly match up best with people with Primary Water affinities, and worst with those with Primary Fire affinities."

"This explains why Sasuke-teme grates on my nerves like nails on a blackboard!" Naruko said with a grin, before she saw Hinata looking at the paper in horror.

"Hinata-chan, what's wrong?" Naruko asked gently.

"T-This e-explains why I-I can't use _**J-Juken**_ very w-well." Hinata stuttered shakily, "_**Juken**_ is an Earth-based T-Taijutsu style. I'm both W-Water _and_ Wind, which a-are the exact _o-opposite _of E-Earth!"

Anko and Kurenai's jaws dropped. "And your father never thought to check your affinity before this?" the red-eyed jonin asked incredulously.

"Almost all H-Hyuuga have a Primary Earth affinity." Hinata replied, "It p-probably never occurred to him to check. Besides, Clan Tradition is that affinities are not t-to be tested for until a Hyuuga achieves genin rank o-or turns sixteen."

"_Idiocy_!" Anko hissed in disgust. Naruko and Ino looked angry as well.

"Hinata, tell your father of this discovery after training today. There may be some assistance he can offer you." Kurenai directed her surrogate daughter, who nodded nervously.

"Alright then." Anko jumped in eagerly, "Now, Naruko, you already know two jutsu, one for each element. Demonstrate them please."

Naruko shrugged and made a Shadow Clone who ran opposite her and _**Henge'd**_ into a chunin with silver hair and a permanent sneer on his face.

"Mizuki!" Ino muttered with a glare.

Naruko formed the Tiger Handsign and, a few second later, said, "_**Suiton: Teppōdama no Jutsu!**_" before launching five water bullets at the Mizuki-clone, dispelling it.

"Ah, the _**Teppōdama**_." Anko nodded, "A C-Rank Jutsu. Requires only one handsign to use _and_ doesn't require the use of a large body of water in order to use it either. Basic, but useful, as last week proved."

Kurenai pursed her lips in thought. "I think that they need to build up their chakra reserves a bit before they use that one." she said after a moment.

Anko motioned to Naruko, who made another Mizuki-clone. She then focused for a moment before clapping her hands and saying, "_**Futon: Reppūshō!**_", causing a gale of wind to blast past her and strike the clone, sending it flying, but not dispelling it.

"_**Reppūshō**_. Another C-Rank Jutsu." Anko said, "Again, only requires on handsign -of a sort- to use. Not really all that powerful, but it is useful in speeding up thrown weaponry, as Naruko did last week."

"Again, the other two need to build up their chakra reserves before they can use this jutsu." Kurenai said firmly.

"Okay then, now I'll demonstrate a jutsu then." Anko said. The Mizuki-clone stood up again to act as a target. The Snake Mistress then flipped through six handsigns, then said, "_**Katon: Endan! (Fire Style: Flame Bomb!)**_"

A small fireball was launched from her mouth that incinerated the clone in moments.

"The _**Endan**_ is another C-Rank Jutsu. While it does use quite a few more handsigns than _**Reppūshō**_ and _**Teppōdama**_, it can also be used in multiple ways. The first is, as you saw a basic fireball. The second is a series of smaller fireballs. The last type is a continuous stream of flames."

"Again, no." Kurenai said firmly. Anko narrowed her eyes at her friend.

"Nai-chan…" Anko said slowly, "You wouldn't happen to be wanting to limit their initial lessons to your personal favourite art, would you?"

Kurenai flushed at being read so easily. Naruko frowned.

"Kurenai-sensei, I can't use genjutsu because of my…'medical condition', remember?" she pointed out.

"I know, but you _can_ dispel genjutsu. You dispelled _two_ of my genjutsu _simultaneously _last week." Kurenai pointed out.

"Only up to C-Rank." Naruko replied, "Anything higher is impossible for me. My limits are _very_ well defined when it comes to genjutsu, Kurenai-sensei."

Kurenai sighed in defeat. "Very well. We will leave genjutsu for now, but we _will_ discuss this in the future. I _refuse_ to believe that you cannot use genjutsu if you can dispel it."

The Jinchuruki nodded reluctantly, although her eyes showed that she didn't believe that she could use genjutsu at all, regardless of Kurenai's assertions to the contrary.

The rest of the training session focussed on teaching Ino and Hinata the _**Teppōdama**_. Ino struggled with it slightly, but managed a single small water bullet by the end of the training session. Hinata, with her excellent chakra control due to her _**Juken**_ training, achieved a similar result slightly before Ino. Both girls were exhausted by the end of the session.

Naruko, meanwhile, had been running through her katas until she was satisfied that she did indeed have the basic _**Ushio-ken **_kata's committed to muscle memory.

When Kurenai called the session to a halt, Naruko made a pair of Shadow Clones to carry a bleary Ino and Hinata back to the Uzumaki Compound.

"Hey Gaki!" Anko called as the clones gently picked up the other two genin and trotted off, "Whatcha doing now?"

"I have remedial Taijutsu training with Gai-sensei and remedial calligraphy with Iruka-sensei." Naruko replied as she made a small army of clones and sent them off to the academy.

"So, your clones do calligraphy and you do Taijutsu?" Anko smirked, "You really are uniquely suited for that jutsu, aren't you?"

Naruko blushed at the compliment, then looked around. Kurenai had followed Ino and Hinata home and there were no clones around.

"Umm…Anko-sensei…I need your help as well." Naruko said, blushing a bit.

"Eh? What with?" Anko asked curiously.

"At the Academy, I skipped a few of the more…boring…kunoichi-only classes." Naruko said frankly, "You know, Ikebana, local clothing and dialects, that kind of thing."

"Not a surprise." The Snake Mistress snorted, "Half of that stuff is never used, with the rest being a load of crap until you have time to blend into the area."

"Yeah…" Naruko said, her blush intensifying, "The thing is, the instructors barred me from the more...serious…classes."

"Such as?" Anko asked, very quietly as her eyes focussed on Naruko.

"Ummm…Shibari, Seduction, Sex Education, Basic Field Interrogation, Body Language Reading, how to dress to distract…" Naruko listed, wincing as the fury mounted in Anko's eyes.

"So basically, you've been trained as a ninja rather than a kunoichi." Anko said angrily. She just could not believe that the instructors at the Academy had been able to get away with so _much_ sabotage on a student's career without being spotted!

"That sums things up well, yes." Naruko replied.

"And why ask me?" Anko asked.

"Kurenai-sensei, judging from her behaviour this week, is a prude and would refuse." Naruko said flatly, "And I don't know any other seasoned kunoichi. Besides…you know how to flaunt your body well. I see all the guys, and more than a few girls, follow you with their eyes when we walk around on our missions, so I guess that you could say you're the best woman for the job."

The Snake Mistress of Konoha's mind was in a whirl. The girl was asking her because she considered her the best for the job? _Not_ because she was considered the biggest slut in Konoha, just because of her former sensei?

'_Then again, the kid doesn't know about that bastard Orochimaru now does she?_' Anko thought.

"Okay." Anko said with a shrug, "I'll give you a hand. But Nai-chan and your friends can't know about it, otherwise Nai-chan'll accuse me of taking advantage of you."

Naruko sighed. "Tell Ji-chan and ask him to make it a mission. Then, when Kurenai-sensei eventually finds out, you can wave it at her and tell her to take it up with him."

Anko grinned. "Sneaky, aren't you gaki? I'll go see the old man now. If he says yes, our first lesson will be in two days time, when both the Hyuuga and the Yamanaka are at clan affairs."

"Hai, Anko-sensei!" Naruko said with a small salute before she ran off, leaving Anko feeling confused.

She wasn't used to being respected, after all.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Timeskip - 15 Minutes.**

**Training Ground 9**

When Naruko reached the training ground she had been told to go to for her lessons, she found it occupied by two other ninja.

One was a Hyuuga. He had long brown hair as seemed to be the fashion for male Hyuuga and it was tied in a loose ponytail. He wore his hitai-ate on his forehead, telling Naruko that he was a member of the Branch House. He wore a khaki shirt, bandages wrapped around his right arm and leg and brown shorts. He had the normal 'Hyuuga Face' as the rest of Konoha called it: arrogant, cold and utterly indifferent.

The other person was a kunoichi. She had light brown hair done up in a pair of buns and warm brown eyes. She wore a pink sleeveless blouse with red hems and green trousers. She looked much more approachable than the Hyuuga.

They were sparring when Naruko turned up. Seemingly on instinct, the girl drew and hurled a kunai at Naruko in less time than it took to blink. Naruko quickly dodged to one side and grabbed the kunai out of the air as it passed before glaring at the girl irately.

"OI! Watch yourself will you!" she yelled at the startled girl, "That almost hit me!"

"Sorry." the girl apologised, "My other teammate is around here somewhere and I though you were him."

"Would your teammate be approaching you at a _walk_ in the middle of a _spar_?" Naruko asked pointedly, making the girl blush at her rebuke.

"This is our training field. Who are you and why are you here?" the Hyuuga demanded.

"When last I checked, it was polite to introduce oneself before asking the name of another." Naruko retorted, making the Hyuuga scowl.

"Very well. I am Hyuuga Neji and this is Higurashi Tenten. Now answer my questions."

"I am Uzumaki Naruko, Clan Heiress of the Uzumaki Clan and I am here to meet with Maito Gai for extra taijutsu lessons at his request." Naruko replied formally.

"At his request? Why?" Neji asked curiously.

Naruko shrugged. "My taijutsu sensei back in the Academy was Toji Mizuki." she replied.

"The silver haired guy?" asked Tenten with a frown, "I heard he's in jail right now, though not what for."

"Attempting to steal the Forbidden Scroll of Seals, Assault on a fellow Konoha Shinobi and breaking an S-Rank law." Naruko replied.

"How do you know that?" Neji asked, suspicious.

"The Hokage announced it to my entire graduating class last week." Naruko replied, deciding they didn't need to know _she_ had actually been the one to steal the stupid scroll, "Ask Hinata-chan if you want confirmation."

One of Neji's eyebrows twitched. "My cousin?" he said blandly.

Naruko cocked her head to one side. "Hinata-chan is your cousin? You two look nothing alike. Not even your _**Byakugan **_look similar." Naruko said bluntly.

Neji's eyebrow twitched again. "So I have been told before." He said, "I shall ask Hinata-sama when next I see her. What does Mizuki's imprisonment have to do with your extra lessons?"

"Hm? Oh, he sabotaged my taijutsu. Left me full of weak stances and openings." Naruko replied, "Gai-sensei helped my team out when two jonin and a chunin tried to attack us last week and offered his assistance to remedy that."

"Why'd they attack you?" asked Tenten curiously.

"S-Rank secret." Naruko replied, "But I hear one of the attackers was a Main Family Hyuuga."

Neji frowned. "Hyuuga Arashi has not been seen around the compound since last week."

The Uzumaki Heiress nodded. "Gai-sensei was the one who beat him. According to Anko-sensei, the man's stomach was covered in huge bruises and had almost his entire ribcage smashed."

The two other genin said in unison, "That's Gai-sensei's work."

"So…where _is_ Gai-sensei?" Naruko asked.

"He lost a bet with his 'Eternal Rival' Hatake Kakashi and has to run 500 times around Konoha…on one leg." Tenten replied, her face completely deadpan.

Naruko's jaw dropped. "What…the…_hell_?!"

"Welcome to our world." Neji muttered.

Tenten spotted the sword on Naruko's back. "Nice sword. Do you know how to use it?"

"Not yet. I have it on me because it's the symbol of rank for the Heir of the Uzumaki Clan." Naruko explained, "Besides, once the sword is sealed to me, anyone who tries to wield it other than me gets a massive electric shock to the chakra system through the _tenketsu_ in the hands."

"That would cause irreparable damage!" Neji exclaimed in shock.

"I think that's kinda the point." Naruko remarked dryly, "Benihime is a lady of sophisticated tastes."

Tenten froze. "Did…did you say 'Benihime'?" she asked hesitantly, "As in the sword of The Red Hot-Blooded Habanero?"

"My mum? Yep." Naruko replied.

"Your…_mum_?!" Tenten exclaimed, hyperventilating slightly, "Are you saying you're her _daughter_?!"

Naruko blinked. "Uh…That _is_ what I just said. The real name of the Red Hot-Blooded Habanero was Uzumaki Kushina, an S-Rank Jonin who died fighting against the Kyuubi."

The bun-haired girl looked like she was about to faint. Naruko looked to Neji for an explanation.

"Tenten is quite adamant that kunoichi can be just as good at being shinobi as ninja." Neji explained shortly, "She aspires to be as great a kunoichi as Tsunade of the Sannin, but she also admires other powerful kunoichi such as…your mother."

Naruko raised an eyebrow. "Wow. She admires my mum _and_ my cousin."

Tenten snapped out of her daze when she heard that. "Wait…your cousin? Who is she?"

"Tsunade of the Sannin." Naruko said as if she just said an apple was red.

Tenten's eyes rolled back in her head and she fainted, Naruko catching her before she hit the ground. Neji hadn't bothered moving, earning him a sour look from Naruko.

It took a few moments to revive Tenten, but once she did come around, she grasped on to Naruko's arm and stared her in the eyes.

"You're really related to Tsunade-sama?" she asked in an intense tone that spooked Naruko.

"Y-Yeah…My Great-Great Aunt Mito married Senju Hashirama, and my clan was already distantly related to the Senju anyway, so I'm related to her by both blood and marriage. I've never met her though." Naruko said nervously.

The older girl slumped slightly and let go of Naruko, who felt a bit sorry for her. "If I ever meet her though, I'll get her autograph for you, OK?"

This earned Naruko a smile and a nod of thanks.

"I can't say I've heard of an Uzumaki Clan." Neji said abruptly.

"It wasn't covered in your Academy classes?" Naruko asked with a frown. Seeing both genin shake their heads only made the frown become deeper.

"Right, so this _proves_ that someone has been trying to erase the history of my clan." Naruko said, anger evident in her voice, "The Sandaime Hokage told me _himself_ that he put the history of the Uzumaki Clan and Uzushiogakure into the curriculum himself after Iwa, Kiri and Kumo almost wiped us out!"

"Why would anyone do that?" asked Tenten.

"I…can't say. S-Rank secret." Naruko said absently.

Just then, a loud (not to mention familiar) shout shocked the three genin into watchfulness.

"HOWL, MY YOUTH! LEE, LET US PROVE THAT OUR FLAMES SHALL NEVER BURN OUT!"

"HAI, GAI-SENSEI! IF I CANNOT DO THAT, I SHALL CLIMB THE HOKAGE MOUNTAIN WITH MY TEETH ALONE!"

The second voice was unfamiliar to Naruko, but it seemed to be known to the other two, judging by the deadpan looks on their faces.

"_**DOUBLE DYNAMIC ENTRY!**_"

Having seen what the original _**Dynamic Entry**_ could do, Naruko took no chances and immediately hit the ground, barely dodging the pair of green blurs that zoomed over her head. Tenten and Neji had dodged successfully as well, no doubt from experience.

Naruko looked up to see a horrifying sight. Maito Gai stood proudly in his green spandex next to what looked like…an identical clone of him. The same bowl cut hair, the same shaggy eyebrows, the same spandex leotard and the same orange legwarmers. The only difference between Gai and his clone was that the clone was barely a year older than Naruko was by her estimate.

"Neji! Tenten! I trust that you have not allowed your youthful flames to flicker and fade?!" Gai bellowed exuberantly, making Naruko wince slightly. In instances like this, having sensitive hearing _really_ sucked.

"Gai-sensei, you have a visitor." Neji said, ignoring the question.

Gai whirled around and caught sight of Naruko, making him simile.

"Ah, Naruko-chan! It is good to see you here! I take it Neji and Tenten have give you their most youthful greetings?" he said loudly.

"They introduced themselves, yes." Naruko replied with a wince at the volume the man was using, "Tenten-san seems to admirable reflexes; she threw a kunai at me when I entered the training field proper in the blink of an eye."

Tenten blushed at the reminder, while Gai-sensei beamed with pride.

"Ah, where are my manners? This is my other student, the ever youthful Rock Lee!" Gai proudly introduced his other student, who then posed in a variation of the infamous 'nice guy' pose.

"Yosh! I am known as Konoha's Handsome Devil! I cannot use Nin- or Genjutsu due to a medical condition, but I still aspire to be a great ninja nonetheless!"

"Uh…that's cool. I have a similar condition, only mine is just genjutsu." Naruko replied warily.

Lee's eyes widened at this revelation. He couldn't believe it, someone who shared one of his difficulties! Incredible.

"Indeed, she is full of the flames of youth my pupils!" Gai boomed, "Unfortunately, the most unyouthful Toji Mizuki sabotaged her taijutsu, which I find abhorrently unyouthful to the extreme. Therefore, I offered my services to aid her in bringing her burning flames to their peak, which she accepted!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Turn away!" Tenten shouted at Naruko, who looked puzzled at her. Movement caught her eye, and she looked back around just in time to see the two spandex-clad men exchange a manly hug, with a backdrop of a setting sun on a beach, the waves crashing dramatically in the background.

Naruko's brain shut down temporarily at the sight. Tenten and Neji had looked away just in time so they were fine, which allowed the bun-haired girl to drag Naruko away from the still hugging men and turned her around so her mind could recover.

After a couple of seconds, Naruko rebooted her brain and massaged her temples. "What, in the name of the Rikudō Sennin, was _that_?!" she asked as one of her eyes twitched.

"That was Gai and Lee's collaboration genjutsu that we call the '_**Warenai Yūhi no Jutsu (Unbreakable Sunset Jutsu)**_' because nothing can see through it or break it, not even my _**Byakugan**_." Neji said sourly, "Gai-sensei and Lee refer to it as the '_**Seishun no Yūhi no Jutsu (Sunset of Youth Jutsu)**_' however."

"Figures." muttered Naruko, "How long do they do this for?"

"Depends." Tenten replied, "If they feel particularly…youthful…up to half an hour. If not, about a quarter of an hour."

Naruko stared at her for a second in disbelief before forming a handsign and said, "_**Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!**_", calling forth over five hundred clones.

"What the-" Tenten gasped in shock.

Neji activated his dōjutsu and scanned the small army before him. "Impossible…they're all _solid_ clones with their own chakra networks…_none_ of them are basic _**Bunshin**_." he said, disbelief etching itself across his face.

"A most youthful effort." Gai said with a smile. He and Lee had stopped their 'Youthful moment' when Naruko summoned her clones. "Is this the maximum amount you can create?"

"I have fifty at the Academy getting remedial calligraphy lessons from Iruka-sensei, ten doing archival work at my Compound, with another hundred practicing the intermediate katas of my villages basic Taijutsu style, the _**Ushio-ken**_." Naruko said with a shrug, "Oh, and ten on guard duty at my Compound as well."

"Six-hundred and seventy at the same time?!" Neji exclaimed.

"But I really have no clue what my limit on the jutsu is. The first time I used the jutsu, I summoned over a thousand." Naruko finished.

"_A thousand!?_" Poor Neji looked as if he was about to pass out from incredulity.

"Why have your clones work on katas though?" Tenten asked, "I mean, solid or not, they are just clones."

"Shadow Clones are unique among the clone jutsu in that when they dispel, the original receives the memories from the clones." Naruko explained, "So even a single clone doubles the amount of training you can do. Well everything but physical training, but ninjutsu, genjutsu and chakra control? Hell yeah."

"That is incredible." Neji breathed, "Why do more ninja not use this technique?"

Gai replied for Naruko. "Because the _**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_ requires jonin level chakra reserves to use. In addition, Naruko here is the only person I have ever heard of to create more than thirty clones without collapsing from chakra exhaustion or worse, Negative Chakra."

"Negative Chakra?" Tenten looked confused.

"If you try to force out more chakra than you have when you are already in a state of chakra exhaustion, you can draw chakra from your own life force by mistake, which causes immense, and almost always fatal, damage to your body." Gai explained seriously.

"How is it that a rookie genin can use such a dangerous jutsu? It is, I assume, a Kinjutsu?" Neji asked pointedly.

"I am an Uzumaki." Naruko said, "More than that, I am of the Main Family of the Clan. While all Uzumaki have immense chakra reserves, those of the Main Family also have exceptionally _dense_ chakra as well."

"I see. Your chakra is powerful and dense, meaning you can use a considerable amount on Shadow Clones without risk of harm." Neji said as he gave Naruko a piercing look. "Yet I am still surprised you graduated. Your chakra control must be appalling."

"I _hate_ the _**Bunshin no Jutsu**_." Naruko said sourly, "It uses such an insignificant amount of chakra that I can't…what's the word…_compress_, fits I think, compress my chakra to make a single ordinary clone or even three. The fewest I can make is thirty."

She pulled a face. "I mean, why bother learning such a _stupid_ jutsu anyway? Any ninja worth their hitai-ate can spot its lack of shadow, so an elemental clone would make far more sense to teach."

"Hey boss! Why'd you summon us?" one of the nearby clones called out, breaking Naruko from her grumbling.

"Oh. Sorry." Naruko said apologetically, "Alright ladies, form up and start running through the basic set of the _**Ushio-ken**_ for Gai-sensei to examine!"

"Right, Boss!" they chorused and ran to obey.

Tenten raised an eyebrow. "Are clones _supposed_ to have that much free will?"

"It depends on the chakra put into creating them, my youthful student." Gai replied, "Only with Shadow Clones though. Elemental Clones have a fixed maximum amount of chakra that can be place into each one before it becomes overloaded and dissolves."

The next half hour passed by as Gai inspected every clone performing a kata and made minor corrections after comparing the kata to diagrams in the scroll Naruko gave him.

"Naruko-chan, your clones show you have an excellent understanding of _**Ushio-ken**_." Gai-sensei told her with a broad grin, "Now, dispel your clones and absorb the knowledge of the minor corrections I gave them."

"Ladies! Dispel in groups of three!" Naruko ordered her army.

As the clones started disappearing in puffs of smoke, Neji looked quizzically at Naruko.

"Why in small groups? Why not all at once?" he queried.

"Because that would knock me out." Naruko replied with an exaggerated wince, "Receiving the memories of five hundred clones at once? Ow. I'd wake up with the worst headache ever as well."

"It must be hard to use Shadow Clones in combat with that facet of the jutsu." Neji observed.

"Not really." Naruko replied, "Despite how useful they are in combat, they only take one hit before they are destroyed, which means that quite a few can be destroyed at a rapid pace with a wide-area jutsu. That keeps the memories from overloading me, especially if they are only a few minutes worth each."

"A most youthful explanation." Gai said approvingly as the last few Shadow Clones vanished, "Now, I would ask that you have a spar with my most youthful student Lee!"

"Hai, Gai-sensei! I shall show Naruko-san how brightly my youthful flames can burn!" Lee declared, his eyes burning with determination.

"Don't hold back on me Lee-kun." Naruko warned as she assumed the ready stance of _**Ushio-ken**_, called the Araumi (Riptide) Stance, with her right arm slightly extended forward and her left arm held back slightly and her feet set in a firm, but fluid position, "I won't be able to get a good feel for my progress without a good challenge of my skill."

"Yosh! Such a youthful request! I shall gladly honour it, Naruko-san!" Lee declared as he assumed the ready stance of the _**Gōken**_, one hand tucked behind his back and the other held diagonally in front of him.

"Just call me '-chan' Lee-kun." Naruko admonished, "Formality isn't my thing."

"Very well Naruko-chan." Lee said with a smile.

Gai looked on approvingly, Neji kept his face blank and Tenten smiled at how well her more…_exuberant _teammate was getting on with the girl, who Tenten had to admit was intriguing.

"Ready?" Gai said as he raised his hand. Seeing both genin nod quickly, their eyes locked on each other, the spandex clad jonin brought his hand down as he said, "Hajime!"

"**Ikimasho!**" yelled Lee as he charged forward so fast Naruko almost couldn't read his attack, a swift uppercut. She quickly dodged it and responded with a elbow strike at the arm itself.

The strike hit, but seemed to barely phase the other genin, who spun on one foot while aiming a low kick at Naruko's legs.

"_**Konoha Reppū! (Leaf Gale!)**_" Lee declared as he knocked Naruko's feet out from under her. Naruko quickly shot out one of her hands and pushed herself higher into the air. She flipped over in mid-air and landed lightly on one foot before launching herself at Lee again.

"That initial stance she used…it was defensive." Neji muttered as he watched the two genin exchange blows, "She used her arm like a measuring stick, so she could react to any attack from the front with due alacrity."

"She also recovered very well from Lee's _**Reppū**_." Tenten said thoughtfully, "Most fresh genin would be knocked flat when that's used on them. I guess that she's been training herself into the ground since she graduated."

"Hmm. Truly a most youthful student. Kurenai is lucky to have her under her command." Gai said with a nod.

"The Genjutsu Mistress?" Neji asked in surprise, "Why would Naruko be assigned to her if she is incapable of genjutsu?"

"I suspect there are a lot of factors." Gai replied as he observed Naruko being gradually overwhelmed by the more experienced genin, "Chief among them I suspect are the control exercises that Kurenai can teach Naruko in order to fully harness her reserves to her fullest."

Neji nodded thoughtfully. That made sense. Beyond Tree Climbing and Water Walking, there were numerous chakra control exercises that the foremost genjutsu expert of Konoha could teach Naruko, especially with her Shadow Clones to help her speed the process along.

"Oooff!" Naruko was on the ground with Lee's fist an inch from her nose. The bushy-browed genin grinned at the kunoichi he had just defeated.

"It seems that the victor today is me, Naruko-chan." Lee said happily as he backed off and offered her a hand up.

"Nicely done, Lee-kun." Naruko grinned ruefully as she grabbed Lee's hand and hauled herself up, "I couldn't even _see_ that last kick. You're _fast_."

"Indeed." Gai said as he stride across to the two genin, "Naruko-chan, I am impressed that, despite facing an opponent of superior skill and more experienced than yourself, you managed to hold your own for a decent length of time before being defeated. I am curious though; why did you not use ninjutsu?"

Naruko raised her eyebrows slightly. "I thought it was a taijutsu spar, Gai-sensei?"

"It was." Gai confirmed, "However most people would use ninjutsu if they are being pushed into a corner like you were."

"What would be the _point_ of using ninjutsu in a taijutsu spar?" Naruko said as she rolled her eyes, "The entire point is to improve my taijutsu. Using ninjutsu would be cheating and not gain me any improvement."

"Hmm. Well said." Gai nodded approvingly, "Now, this is what I learned from watching you. You lack physical strength and speed but have plenty of youthful stamina, which is good."

"So basically, I'm weak and slow, but I can fight for a long time. Great." Naruko said dryly.

"Ah, have no fear, Naruko-chan!" Gai assured her, "I have a most youthful solution that I can give you tomorrow. For today however, I would like you to perform 500 punches, 500 kicks and run around Konoha ten times."

Naruko stared at him in disbelief. '_I am _so_ going to be sore tomorrow._' she thought as she began the first punch.

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**Around the same time**

**Hokage's Office Hokage Tower**

Sarutobi Hiruzen had been forced to endure numerous awkward conversations in his long life as a shinobi. Having to give his son Asuma 'the Talk', explaining to Naruko about periods and cramps, having to explain the consequences of the Uchiha stabbing Naruko to her and explaining why most men had nosebleeds when confronted by naked females to her were just a few examples.

Sitting in his comfortable chair behind his desk, he was staring at Tokubetsu Jonin Mitarashi Anko in mild horror at what she had just suggested he do, which topped the list at the moment.

"Anko…let me try and understand what you are asking of me here…you want me to write up a mission, requested by _Naruko_, for _you_ about teaching _her_ all the important facets about being a kunoichi that were deliberately not taught to her in the Academy, including Shibari, Seduction and Sexual Education among other things." Sarutobi said slowly, "Is that about it?"

"Yep!" Anko grinned.

Sarutobi pinched the bridge of his nose firmly. "I just so happen to know what the Academy classes cover in those classes. You, Anko, will no doubt take one look at the lesson plan, scoff at it, throw it out, then proceed to…well, I really do not want to think of my surrogate grand daughter doing those kind of things, thank you very much. Suffice to say you will no doubt go far beyond the Academy's syllabus."

Anko's face became serious. "Hokage-sama, Genin Uzumaki has a lot of potential, both in combat and infiltration. Those…_fools_ at the Academy have earned the punishment for treason several times over for the amount of sabotage they have done to her training." she said formally, "But this latest offence is unconscionable. They denied her _gender_, denied her a fundamental part of who and what she is as a _human being_. I am honestly surprised she is as stable a person as she is."

"Naruko…is a strong girl." Sarutobi said absently, "You really believe that this is a necessary step for her?"

"Hokage-sama, the girl is a natural." Anko said frankly, "No ordinary kunoichi could come up with the _**Orioke no Jutsu**_. It is a classic case of using feminine wiles against those vulnerable to it, both straight males and lesbian/bisexual females. Hell, she got _me_ with it once. I was out like a light. Doubt she remembers me though."

"And there is no possibility that Kurenai-kun will not find out?" He asked.

"Nai-chan is a very good kunoichi, not that she'll have to be." Anko replied, "What I'm going to do initially is give her The Talk, followed by tips to improve her visual-psychological tactics."

An eyebrow went up on Sarutobi's face. "Her what?"

"Her sex appeal of course." Anko said bluntly, making the Hokage choke on his spit.

"After that, seduction, counter-seduction, Shibari, advanced rope escape techniques…" Anko listed calmly, "Anyway, the point is Nai-chan will be able to pick up on Naruko's change in attitude to me. A teacher of Injutsu (Sexual Arts) and her student have to trust and bond with one another and this is very easy to catch on to. If Nai-chan doesn't catch on to us, she will either have a concussion or not be Nai-chan."

Sarutobi was silent for a moment before sighing. "Very well. I will write the mission scroll up momentarily." he said, "But before I do so…"

He leaned forward and looked a now nervous Anko in the eyes. "I will warn you: Naruko is a family member to me in all but blood. She has trust issues and this request of hers shows she is willing to extend that trust to you. If you break her trust and hurt her, you will _not_ enjoy the consequences. Am I _clear_, Tokujo Mitarashi?" he stated in a soft but deadly voice that made Anko tremble slightly.

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Anko whispered in reply, "I wouldn't anyway, I swear. I would _never_ hurt someone like my bastard of a sensei did to me."

"I know." Sarutobi said as he leaned back and grabbed a blank scroll to begin writing up the mission, "I just had to make my feelings on the matter clear. Besides, technically, you could count as Naruko's first girlfriend."

Anko blushed at the comparison. "Hokage-sama, I'm twice her age!" she protested.

Sarutobi chuckled. "And yet, you only look as if you are in your late teens." His brush danced across the scroll in well practiced strokes as he spoke, "I think, on reflection, that this is an excellent idea. You and Naruko are similar in many ways, so becoming closer to each other will be good for both of you."

Anko instinctively grabbed her shoulder where the _**Ten no Juin (Curse Seal of Heaven)**_ had been branded on to her by her sick and twisted former master.

"There. Done." Sarutobi said as he finished writing. He waited a few moments for the ink to dry before he rolled the scroll up and gave it to Anko.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama." Anko said as she turned to leave, "I promise you, this is a mission you will not regret issuing."

After she left, the old man brought out some sake. After a meeting like that, he really needed some. Purely for medicinal purposes of course.

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**Next Chapter: The Seduction of Naruko**

**Authors Note: Sorry for the rant up at the top. I've been stressed the last couple of weeks, what with a relative going into hospital.**

**Anyway, the poll. The winner is…FemHaku with a whopping 50+% lead. Poor Isarabi never got above twenty. Kin got thirty-odd percent.**

**To answer any queries, No, Naruko will not be absorbing Kubikiribōchō (Zabuza's sword).**

**The next chapter will be deserving the M-Rating, so don't read if you aren't old enough. Later. **

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**Jutsu Lexicon**

**Any Jutsu with its name in Bold is my creation.**

_Any Jutsu with its name in Italic is a Game or Anime Jutsu that has no rank and I gave it one._

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Katon: Endan - Fire Style: Flame Bomb

Rank: C

Type: _Offensive_

Effect: _A basic, but versatile, Katon ninjutsu that gathers oil in the user's mouth and, upon launching it at the foe, ignites it into a fireball. By partitioning the oil, multiple smaller fireballs are possible. A constant stream of fire is also possible with this jutsu._

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_DOUBLE DYNAMIC ENTRY_

Rank: C

Type: _Offensive, Collaboration, Taijutsu_

Effect: _A simple technique performed by Maito Gai and Rock Lee. The two users perform the Dynamic Entry at the same time, creating a near mirror image of each other as they do so._

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_Warenai Yūhi no Jutsu - Unbreakable Sunset Jutsu_

Rank: Undetermined

Type: _Genjutsu, Supplementary, Collaboration_

Effect: _A disturbing genjutsu utilised by Maito Gai and Rock Lee seemingly unwittingly. It creates an image of a setting sun at a seaside beach. This happens whenever Gai and Lee exchange 'Manly Hugs' and the entire picture causes severe mental trauma to anyone who sees it. Known by the alternative name of '__Seishun no Yūhi no Jutsu (Sunset of Youth Jutsu)'by both Gai and Lee. As the name suggests, this genjutsu has never been broken and cannot be seen through by two of the Three Great Dōjutsu._

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**Ushio-ken - Tide Fist Style**

Rank: N/A

Type: _Taijutsu Style, Offensive_

Effect: _The Basic Taijutsu style taught to fresh genin at the now-destroyed Uzushiogakure. This style focuses on offensive and passive defensive techniques. Most advanced taijutsu styles from Uzu require this style to be learned first._

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Konoha Reppū - Leaf Gale

Rank: D

Type: _Taijutsu, Offensive_

Effect: _A relatively simple technique, being no more complicated than a rear-spinning low kick. With enough force behind it, this technique can send a grown man flying._

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	8. Chapter 8: The Seduction of Naruko

**Author's Note: Whew, this was a **_**hard**_** chapter to write.**

**To answer a review from a few chapters back about Enki calling Naruko '****Kozō' as opposed to 'Gaki'. Has anyone watched Bleach in Japanese? Yes? Well, Mayuri Kurotsuchi calls Ishida 'Kozō' and it means brat, the same as Gaki. **

**Gaki can be an affectionate nickname, whereas Kozō is condescending. Roughly speaking, it is the same as with Baka and Ahō. They both mean idiot, but Ahō is far more insulting and demeaning (like calling someone crack head).**

**So, the order of the harem gathering is: Haku, Hinata, Ino, Tenten, Sasame, my mystery harem member and Sakura. Can you guess who my secret harem member is? If enough people guess by the next chapter, I will confirm it then.**

**Now, on to the fic!**

**Disclaimer: Naruto isn't mine.**

"Dattebayo!" -normal speech

'_Dobe_' -Thoughts

'{_Shannaro!}_' -Inner Sakura

"**Ningen****"**-Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Speech

'**Brat****'** -Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Thoughts

"_**Kage Bunshin!**_" -Ninjutsu/Genjutsu/Taijutsu move.

**Chapter 8: The Seduction of Naruko**

**Timeskip - Evening**

**New Uzumaki Clan Estate**

Naruko groaned as she walked into the mansion. Her arms and legs felt like someone had been smacking them with rubber hoses for five hours straight.

'_Gah. Dammit Gai-sensei!_' Naruko screamed to herself inside her head. She would have screamed aloud, but she was just too damn tired to bother. She had not only done the first set of exercises Gai had told her to do, she had sparred with Lee again…twice, and had done another repetition of the initial workout before Gai had called it a day.

Naruko reached the hidden door to the living quarters and ran through the opening sequence on autopilot. She was sooo going to kill Gai-sensei for this, right after she thanked him.

Hey, who said she had to make sense? She _was_ called the Most Unpredictable Ninja in Konoha after all.

As the Karakuri Door clanked open, Naruko wished she could have gone to Ichiraku Ramen for a post-training gorge of Ramen, but she remembered her own words to Ino that morning and had decided to see what was in the fridge at home.

"Naruko-chan?" Ino said as the bruised and battered kunoichi stumbled into the living room where Ino, Hinata and Anko were sitting and having a chat, "What the hell happened to you?"

"Extra training." Naruko grunted as she sat down on a free seat, "Remember Gai-sensei? He has a mini-version of himself…who kicks like a mule. He also has _insane_ training ideologies."

"What did he make you do?" Anko asked with a grin.

"Sadist." Naruko accused her, "1000 kicks and punches each, 100 laps of Konoha and three sparring matches against Rock Lee."

Ino and Hinata gaped at the tired girl. She had done all that and _wasn't_ unconscious?

Ino groaned. "Naruko, can you _please_ stop making the rest of us look lazy by comparison?"

Naruko grinned wanly at Ino. "Try being on this side of thing Ino-chan." she replied tiredly, "I have to counter all of Mizuki-teme's sabotage on me, which should take years. I'm essentially stuffing the most important parts of an _eight year curriculum _into as short a time as possible."

"Ouch." Ino winced at the thought, "At least you have your clones to help out though."

"Doesn't help with physical conditioning though." Naruko said sourly, "Which is why I look like this right now."

"Have you eaten?" Anko asked with narrowed eyes.

A rumble from a now blushing Naruko's stomach answered that question.

"Wait…you _didn't_ go to Ichiraku's?!" Ino asked incredulously. Hinata also looked astonished.

"I…decided to start my new diet?" Naruko said sheepishly.

Anko grinned. "What do ya feel like having brat?"

"You offering, Anko-sensei?" Naruko asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Consider yourself honoured, gaki. I only cook for people I like." Anko retorted, "Only Morino Ibiki, Hokage-sama, Nai-chan and a select few others have ever tasted my cooking. So, what do ya want?"

"Umm…Tonkatsu (Pork Cutlets)?" Naruko ventured hesitantly.

"Y'want the trimmings?" asked Anko as she stood, "Shredded cabbage, Miso soup, Tsukemono (pickled dish) and rice?"

"If…it's not too much of a bother…" Naruko said shyly.

"Tch." Anko snorted with a small grin as she headed towards the kitchen, "If I think something's a bother, gaki, _I'll_ be the first to say it, not you."

Naruko sat back in her chair and removed her hitai-ate with a weary sigh. Today had been the most physically exhausting day of her entire life.

"Naruko-chan, w-why do you like Ramen so much?" Hinata asked shyly.

Naruko looked at Hinata with a single eye open. "Because it is the Food of the Gods, Hinata-chan." she replied with a forced smile.

Ino, unfortunately, noticed this fact. "Nuh-uh, Naruko. That 'I'm Fine! Don't Worry About Me One Bit!' smile stopped working when we were nine." The Yamanaka Heiress rebuked her fellow blond, "Now spill!"

"But-" Naruko tried to protest, before giving up when she saw the determined glint in Ino's eyes. Whenever Ino got THAT look in her eyes, she never gave up. "Fine. Ichiraku's is the only eatery in Konoha that never tried to throw me out or poison me. Add that onto the stores only selling me out-of-date food -if they don't throw me out as well- at outrageous prices, and you get a one-food-only diet."

"P-Poisoned?" Hinata squeaked in shock.

"I used to get sick all the time when I was a kid." Naruko replied, "Turns out it was caused by small doses of poison, like a dozen different kinds. I guess they were trying to kill me and make it look like I was sickly or something.

Anyway, my chakra was strong even when I was young, so I had, and still have, an insane healing factor, which carried over to my immune system. I'm now immune to all of the most common poisons used across the Elemental Nations."

"All because they thought you were the damn fox?!" Ino ground out in anger, "I can't _believe_ how you were treated! I _cannot_ believe it!"

"I-It's not f-fair!" Hinata agreed.

"That was then, this is now." Naruko reassured her teammates, "If they tried any of that bull now that I'm a Shinobi, they could be sent to Ibiki or worse, be sent to the rock quarries for the rest of their life AFTER being sent to Ibiki."

Hinata and Ino didn't look convinced, but just then Anko came in with Naruko's Tonkatsu, so they let it drop.

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**Timeskip - The Next Day - After D-Ranks and Team Training**

**Training Field 9**

"So what are these again?" Naruko asked as she looked at the items Gai had just presented to her. They looked like four sets of Buddhist prayer beads.

Tenten, Lee and Neji had been sent home early. Well, Tenten and Neji had gone home. Lee had been told to climb the Hokage mountain…with one arm tied behind his back.

"Yosh! These, Naruko-chan, will aid you in your most Youthful endeavours!" The spandex clad Gai replied with a 'nice guy' pose, "They are the anchors for a special Fūinjutsu that was taught to me by Jiraya of the Sannin. It will greatly increase your strength and speed once the training is complete!"

Naruko regarded the prayer beads dubiously, but mentally shrugged. Gai-sensei hadn't steered her wrong yet.

"OK, so where do I put them?" she asked with a grin. Gai beamed at her.

"One around each ankle and wrist." He told her, "But be warned: until the training is finished, you will not be able to remove them."

"Gotcha." Naruko said as she clamped the beads first around her wrists then her ankles before straightening up, "Now what?"

Gai ran through a lengthy series of handsigns and then slammed his hand onto Naruko's chest, making her redden and squeak with feminine outrage.

"_**Fūinjutsu: Teashi Omoidzuke Fūin no Jutsu! (Sealing Jutsu: Four Limbs Weighting Seal Jutsu!)**_" Gai declared. The prayer beads changed colour to red, then yellow, green and blue before returning to their original white hue.

"Gaaah!?" Naruko grunted in surprise. Her arms and legs felt like she was carrying a full squad of ninja…on each limb!

Gai noticed the strain on Naruko's face and grinned. "Ah, it seems that the Jutsu has taken hold! How does it feel?"

"Like…I have…people…trying to…rip my…limbs off!" Naruko said as her body shook from the effort of standing.

"Excellent!" Gai beamed even more -if that was possible- at Naruko's revelation, "Now, start running! 50 laps around Konoha!"

"Are you INSANE!?" Naruko shouted, "I can barely stand up, let alone run! I'll tear my muscles to shreds!"

"Most likely, but with your…ah, _tenant_, your muscles will heal at a most youthful pace, meaning you will master this exercise in no time!" Gai replied.

"And I'll know that…how exactly?" Naruko asked in a resigned manner.

"When the beads turn red, you will be able to remove them." Gai replied, "I have the utmost confidence that you will master this exercise in no time!"

Groaning with trepidation, Naruko starts to move. The sooner she got this finished, the sooner she could plot how to prank the sadist that was Maito Gai into submission - preferably in a mildly painful and/or embarrassing and humiliating manner.

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**Timeskip - 12.00pm**

**Konoha Main Gate**

Kotetsu and Izumo, the so-called 'Eternal Chunins', couldn't believe their eyes. Uzumaki Naruko, the biggest bag of energy in Konoha, looked utterly exhausted. Her arms were shaking, her face was haggard and her running pace was flagging.

The two gate guards were here to relieve the so called 'dog watch' for a couple of hours, until the early morning crew were on shift. They were _not_ expecting to see Naruko lapping them at this hour.

"What's with her new jewellery?" Izumo whispered to Kotetsu as the girl jogged past, indicating the blue beads on her wrists and ankles.

"How should I know?" Kotetsu retorted. Right then, the beads glowed for a moment and turned red. Naruko stopped as soon as she caught sight of the beads on her wrist.

"_Finally!_" she half-groaned/half-wept, as she removed the cursed things from her body, "I cannot _believe_…it took eight hours…to get these things…offa...me…" she trailed off and collapsed onto the ground unconscious, spent from her training.

The guards make to go and assist her, but stopped when a purple-haired jonin in a trench coat leapt down next to the young kunoichi, concern written across her face.

"Dammit Gai, I _told_ you that this was too much for only the second day!" Mitarashi Anko muttered angrily as she gently picked Naruko up, "I'm so setting my snakes on the bowl-cut bastard for this. What?"

This last was directed towards a gaping Izumo and Kotetsu, who speedily shook their heads.

"Nothing." "Nadda." They replied at the same time.

"Good. Then there no reason for me to send spiky death your way." Anko said with a sniff before jumping away, Naruko tucked safely in her arms.

"OK, what the Hell?" Kotetsu said, bewilderedly, "Mitarashi Anko, the biggest sadistic bitch in Konoha, was treating Naruko like…like a sibling!"

"Dude, to quote you, how the hell should I know?" Izumo replied, his face equally as puzzled as his friend's was.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Timeskip - Half an hour later**

**Naruko's Room, New Uzumaki Clan Estate**

Ino and Hinata looked at Naruko lying on the bed with worry in their eyes. The only reason they hadn't gone to look for Naruko after she hadn't come home by the time darkness fell was because Anko had told them she was training.

Anko walked in, shooed the girls to one side, and ran through two handsigns, causing a green glow to appear in between her hands, which were then places on Naruko's nearest arm.

"What's that?" Ino asked.

"_**Shōsen no Jutsu (Mystic Palm Jutsu)**_" Anko replied, "An advanced healing jutsu that a few ANBU, mostly in T&I, know. Man, she's _really_ been through the mill. Her healing factor is kicking in though."

"Why would Gai-sensei do this?" Hinata asked in a whisper.

"He didn't mean anything malicious by it, brat." Anko said as she moved the healing jutsu to her patient's other arm, "He just got too caught up in his enthusiasm with a new student."

'_That, and Naruko's regeneration is _way_ beyond any sort of healing factor granted by human chakra alone, so this extreme training is uniquely suited for her._' Anko added silently.

"He's an idiot!" Ino snapped angrily, "She'd already trained all day with us when she went to meet him! She shouldn't have had to endure this!"

"To Gai's way of thinking, that just means he didn't have to make her do an easy warm up." Anko replied as she moved to Naruko's legs, "He may be nuts, but he IS the acknowledged Taijutsu Master of Konoha. There is _no-one _who knows more about how to get the human body into peak physical condition than him."

Anko finished healing Naruko and ended her jutsu. "Whew. I used a fair amount of chakra there. She's good, but she'll sleep like the dead tonight and eat like a horse tomorrow."

"Who's going to look after her?" Ino asked with a frown, "Hinata has family training the next two days and the Yamanaka Clan has a meeting tomorrow and who _knows_ how long that might last!"

"I have the day off from T&I tomorrow." Anko said, "I'll look after her. Maybe she'll give me some money of my rent if I do."

Ino rolled her eyes. "_Sure_ she will, Anko-sensei." she said, her voice laced with heavy doubt and mild sarcasm.

"Bah. Scat brats. Off to bed with you!" Anko chased them out with a mad grin on her face.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Timeskip - 10.00am**

**Naruko's Room, New Uzumaki Estate**

Naruko's awakening came slowly and painfully. Her arms and legs were fighting one another to complain about how sore they each felt and how little they appreciated her efforts the previous day.

"Owww…" she groaned as she sat up stiffly, wincing at the pain in her butt. Who knew that a person's butt could hurt so badly after being exercised? Moreover,…should nails ache?

"You really did a number on yourself, brat." A voice said from the doorway. Naruko looked up to see Anko leaning against the doorframe, clothed this time thankfully.

"Yeah…I can tell." Naruko croaked back, her throat desert dry.

"C'mon then, lets get you fed, brat." Anko said as she turned around, "We've got a lot to cover today."

Naruko flushed as she remembered exactly _what_ they were going to cover that day. She shook her head determinedly as she slowly stood and wobbly made her way to the dining room. That could wait until _after_ she had refilled her stomach with food.

After a tasty meal of rice, miso soup and Karaage (Deep-fried chicken), Anko used her healing jutsu on Naruko again, which took away the lingering aches and pains of the previous day, thank kami.

Anko settled back in a chair of the living room. "I've managed to wrangle two days for the first lesson." she informed her pupil, "As Hinata is going to be away for two days, I asked Inoichi to keep Flower girl for an extra day. Add in the little fact that Hokage-sama gave Nai-chan an A-Rank mission for the next two days as her team was split up and we have plenty of time to cover most of your…_requests_."

Naruko, sitting opposite her, gulped slightly and cast around for something to say. "Umm…Why don't you have a nickname for Hinata-chan? Or me for that matter?" was the first thing she could think of.

"Most of the names I could call the Hyuuga girl relate to her Kekkei Genkai, not her as a person." Anko replied, "I prefer to get to know a person before nicknaming 'em. As for you…I don't wanna give you any nickname that compares you to your…burden."

"Thanks, Anko-sensei." Naruko smiled at the older woman.

"Meh." Anko grunted, fighting down a smile, "Me and you are a lot alike, gaki, more than you know. That's the first lesson today."

"Huh?" Naruko said, puzzled.

Anko slipped her coat off and exposed her shoulder. On it, was an intricate seal, surrounding another seal. The first was a bunch of complex sealing formula that Naruko couldn't make heads or tails of, except for the fact it was a containment seal.

The second seal was three magatama-shaped tattoos in a triangle formation. It was even more complex than the first one but she could tell, even with Naruko's small experience with seals, that it was sloppily made, with bad connections and poorly built matrixes all over the place.

"What _is_ that?" Naruko asked.

"This Naruko, is the _**Ten no Juin**_, the Curse Seal of Heaven, and it is the reason why I am held in only slightly higher regard than you in the eyes of the villagers." Anko said seriously.

"Wh...aaat?" Naruko breathed.

"My sensei was the Snake Sannin Orochimaru." Anko informed her bluntly, "I was the only survivor of my genin team during the Chunin Exams and afterward, Orochimaru took me as his apprentice. He let me sign the Snake Contract, taught me all his Snake-style ninjutsu and taijutsu and I was happy.

Then he defected from Konoha, branded me with this…abomination…and left me to die in Umi no Kuni. See, this mark kills nine out of every ten people who are marked with it."

Naruko gasped. "He didn't…?!"

"You bet your ass he did." Anko said bitterly, "Problem is, I can't remember properly exactly what happened there. I remember two different scenarios. The first is the Hebi-teme telling me I'm weak and not worth training any further, then he marks me. The second is me refusing to obey the bastard when he wants me to betray Konoha, so he beats the shit out of me first _then_ marks me."

"If I get a chance, I'm gonna beat that teme until he begs for mercy." Naruko ground out, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"No, you'll run like the Kyuubi is after you." Anko corrected her sharply, "Although he's a grade-A bastard, he's also a high S-Rank Nuke-Nin. Way out of your weight class for the moment."

"For the moment?" Naruko asked excitedly.

"Yeah gaki, for the moment." Anko replied with an amused smile, "I'm classed as a high A-Rank Ninja in the Bingo Books of most countries. You, once you're trained up and all, can surpass my bastard-sensei. I'd stake my reputation on it."

"Your reputation as a sadistic and ruthless bitch?" Naruko asked for clarification.

"You catch on quick gaki." Anko said, her face becoming serious again, "Back to the point. Because of this damn seal, nobody trusted me. They all thought -_still_ think even- that I'm a spy for my ex-sensei. Meaning, to them, that I can't be trusted and that they have the right to treat me very much like they treat you."

"Assholes." Naruko muttered.

"And then some." Anko agreed, "Point is kid that I'm probably the only person in all of Konoha who has anything approaching an idea of what it's like to be you, which in turn means I'm the best person to teach you Injutsu."

"Injutsu?" Naruko asked with a frown.

"The Sexual Arts." Anko replied bluntly, "Although it actually encompasses everything from 'Dress to Distract', to actual sexual techniques, to how babies are made, to _**Ninpo:**_ _**Kō Ninshin no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Anti-Pregnancy Jutsu)**_."

Naruko was blushing in a way remarkably similar to Hinata. "So, err, where…do we start?"

Anko grinned wickedly. "Why, at the beginning of course - the birds and the bees!"

The next two hours were the most embarrassing of Naruko's life as Anko explained to her all about the process of how babies were made, veering between technical descriptions and graphic details as she spoke.

By the end of it, Naruko's face resembled a cherry in colour and she was fidgeting at some of the descriptions Anko had used.

Anko was grinning at how quiet and uncomfortable the usually rambunctious kunoichi was now. This was such a fun assignment!

"Any questions, gaki?" she asked innocently (or as innocently as Mitarashi Anko was capable of being, so _not_ innocent at all).

"No!" Naruko squeaked, "I'm fine!"

"Good." Anko said, making Naruko wilt in relief only to stiffen at Anko's next words, "Then we'll move on to the next topic!"

"W-which is?" Naruko asked cautiously.

"Discovering your sexual orientation." Anko said cheerfully and smirked when the blush on Naruko's face redoubled in intensity.

"Wh-What?!" Naruko looked like she'd just been punched in the stomach.

"This is actually fairly important, Naruko." Anko said seriously, "A rule that was set down in the early days of Konoha is that no one, ninja or kunoichi, is sent on a seduction mission that requires them to sleep with a target who is not of their own gender of preference."

Naruko thought for a moment. "So, you can be sent to seduce both girls and guys because you're greedy?" she asked at length.

"Yep, although I prefer girls. An ANBU ninja acquaintance of mine is gay and is very successful at the seduction of his own gender. There's couple of chunin kunoichi I know for a fact are lesbians and excel at seducing geisha and whores." Anko said with a thoughtful look on her face, "They're twins and boy, are they _good_ in the sack."

"Sisters? At the same time?" Naruko asked in amazement.

"Oh yeah. They live in the same apartment, so it would be rude to…_entertain_ only one of them." Anko said with a lecherous grin.

"And it has nothing to do with the fact that you are insatiable, sensei?" Naruko asked pointedly.

"Well, that too." Anko admitted as she stood up and walked towards Naruko, "But they both enjoy sharing a lover when it's not a mission and they enjoy being dominated as well, so they're a good fit for me."

"D-Dominated?" Naruko asked as Anko drew closer, deliberately walking slowly.

"Uh-huh. In bed, most people fall into three categories. Submissive, dominant and switch." Anko said as she grabbed Naruko, tugged her to her feet, dragged her to the couch, sat her down before taking a seat herself right next to Naruko, and continued.

"Submissive people let other people take the lead in bed. In extreme cases, they let their bed partners have almost total control of their lives. A good example of submissive girls that you know would be Hinata and Flower Girl."

"Hinata-chan? Ino-chan?" Naruko asked, uncomfortably aware that Anko was well within her personal space, "Hinata-chan I can see, but Ino-chan? She's way too…forceful!"

"Ah well, that's the thing. Big strong women -big strong _men_ as well come to think of it- aren't always that way in bed. I am, but that makes me the exception rather than the rule." Anko replied as she removed her trench coat and motioned for Naruko to do the same.

"Flower Girl struts and barks, but her bite ain't all that strong. A hundred ryo says that she blushed like a tomato in her Shibari class and she had to change her panties before going to bed on those days. She may not be aware of it herself, but I've had her pegged from the get go as a sub, just from all the descriptions her dad gives in T&I." Anko said as Naruko followed her lead.

"W-Wow." Naruko said as she processed this new information, "Really?"

"Yep. Next, there are dominants. Doms are usually the ones in charge during sex. Most people, through what whacked-out thinking process I do not know, automatically assign men to this category, even although it is patently not true. I am a Dom. I am _always_ in charge during sex." Anko said as she leaned back on the sofa.

"The final category, switch, is rare. They can assume either role at will and are very much sought after by the ANBU Seduction Squad." Anko said as she reached over and pulled Naruko back, the blond turning her head to look at Anko automatically.

"You, Naruko, are a switch." Anko told the younger kunoichi as her blue eyes widened in shock.

"B-but…I'm a _virgin_!" Naruko protested, "How can you tell?"

"Experience." Anko replied, "You shift between bossing Ino about, to being quiet and compliant when Pinkie smacks you one. I'm willing to bet that if I were to seduce you, here and now, you'd be calling me Anko-_sama_ by the end of the day. I'm equally sure that, after a bit of 'intense training', you could get Flower Girl to call you 'Naruko-sama' after a couple of rounds."

"Whaa…?" Naruko spluttered, "Ino-chan's my friend! And I'm pretty sure she's not into girls!"

"Hmmm…I don't hear you protesting about yourself not being attracted to girls, gaki." Anko noted with a smirk.

Naruko's jaw flopped open and closed for a while before she fell back onto the couch in defeat. "I guess…I had suspicions a couple of days ago, when you walked into the kitchen naked."

"Yeah, I kinda figured by the way you were ogling my tits." Anko replied dryly, "Not that it wasn't flattering mind you, but just something to keep in mind."

"Hey, I've never seen a naked woman other than myself!" Naruko protested, "Can you blame me for being curious?"

"Nope." Anko replied, "Well that sort out one thing at least - you're definitely at _least_ a lesbian. Does the though of sleeping with a guy repulse you?"

"N-No…not as long as it isn't Sasuke-teme." Naruko said, pulling a face.

"So bisexual, with a preference for women, and brooding emo's are not your type." Anko snorted in amusement, "What're you gonna do if Flower Girl snags the Emo?"

The Uzumaki Heiress' face twisted in distaste at the thought. "She won't." Naruko said with certainty, "Sasuke-teme is too much of a self-centred prick to get touchy-feely with a girl -or a guy, if he swings that way- so Ino-chan and Sakura-chan are going to be disappointed if they keep pursuing him. When they get knocked back, I'll be there as a friend for them."

"And if they want to be more?" Anko asked seriously.

"Whatever it takes for my friends to be happy." Naruko replied, equally serious.

Anko smiled. "Well said. That means you will be good at Injutsu."

"W-Why?" There was confusion in the younger kunoichi's voice as she asked her question.

"Because those who are unable to care are poor at lovemaking and cannot use the Injutsu techniques properly." Anko replied, "You care a lot for your friends, who you see as your family. Put this caring into your Injutsu and you will master it in no time."

"Do you really think so?" Naruko asked shyly, "I mean…I am 'The Demon Bitch' after all. Once they find out, do you think my friends will stick around?"

"If they don't, then they weren't real friends in the first place." Anko said firmly, "Take it from me. I found out who my _real_ friends were when the Hebi-teme betrayed Konoha. However, from what I've seen, your teammates at least seem to be intelligent. I'm sure that they will be able to see that you are a scroll and not a kunai."

"Hope so." Naruko muttered forlornly.

Anko looked at the girl with hidden pity. '_She's hiding it well, but she really does fear the thought of having her friends know about the Kyuubi. I think a little distraction is in order._'

"Well gaki, that's the birds and the bees taken care of." Anko smirked at the younger kunoichi, "Next thing on the list: retail therapy."

"Huh?" Naruko said, puzzled.

"Shopping." Anko translated, "Your outfit is damn good for Dress to Distract purposes, but it still needs a few add-ons and alterations to be that little bit more distracting, so shopping."

"I _do_ need to get a katana so I can learn kenjutsu katas." Naruko thought aloud.

"It's settled then. To the Shops!" Anko declared as she stood.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Timeskip - Half and hour later**

**Civilian Clothes Shop, Konoha Shopping District**

"Thank kami I brought along storage scrolls." Naruko said as she tucked one into her coat, "Anko-sensei, Is that everything?"

Anko, who was examining some very daring panties, looked up at Naruko's question. "Let's see…sexy skirts, tops, bras, panties, jewellery, shoes…ah, we need to go to a ninja shop next, to improve your regular genin outfit." she said absently.

"'Kay, but most ninja shops will refuse to serve me." Naruko warned her as they left the store.

"Nah, I know one that'll serve ya." Anko said with a grin, "They're civs, but they're also retired ninja. Their adopted daughter is a genin as well, so they understand the needs of a genin very well."

"Cool. So where's this shop?" Naruko asked excitedly. They were in a small close that had very little foot traffic.

"Here." Anko stopped in front of a plain, nondescript door, "The first lesson in being a shinobi - look underneath the underneath. A phrase used too often by Hatake Bakashi, but in this case it fits. This is the best shop for ninja gear in Konoha, but only those people who are in the know can shop here."

Naruko nodded and the two kunoichi entered the shop. Naruko had to stop herself from drooling at the array of weaponry on display. Ninjatō, Kodachi, Shuriken, Kunai, Katana, Nodatchi, Wakizashi, Senbon…there seemed to be no end to the weaponry on display. She thought she could see a Zanbatō or two as well.

Behind the counter, there was a familiar bun-haired kunoichi wearing an apron over her pink blouse.

"Welcome to the Higurashi Weaponry and Ninja Gear Shop!" Tenten said, then caught sight of Naruko, who grinned at her.

"Hi Tenten-san." Naruko greeted the older genin warmly.

"Naruko-san. Here to get a new weapon?" Tenten asked as she returned the smile.

"Need your opinion on the gaki's outfit first, Panda Girl." Anko said with a grin as Tenten glared at her. She _hated_ being called that -which was why Anko called her it in the first place.

Tenten vaulted over the counter and walked over to Naruko. She examined the clothes closely, tugging them occasionally and paid close attention to how the seams reacted.

"Not bad." Tenten eventually pronounced begrudgingly, "These are quite good quality clothes and they'll hold up alright in the field. But…"

"…But your store can give her far better quality clothes." Anko finished with a grin, "We'll get the same bodysuit and trench coat, but a smaller, tighter vest and the brat wants a katana or two."

"Oh?" Tenten turned to Naruko, "Why do you need a Katana? You already have Benihime. And more than one?"

"Remember how I told you that Benihime isn't sealed to me yet?" Naruko asked. Receiving a nod from the other girl, Naruko continued, "Well, once she_ is_ sealed to me, I have to rename Benihime. She was originally called the 'Uzuryū no Tsurugi' (Blade of the Whirlpool Dragon) by her creator, the Nidaime Uzukage.

Each successor renames the sword. The Sandaime Uzukage was…bloodthirsty…and called her 'Ketsuryū' (Blood Dragon). The Yondaime Uzukage called her 'Amanokaze' (Heavenly Wind) and my Grandfather, the Godaime Uzukage called her 'Kōyō' (Autumn Leaves)."

"Wow." Tenten muttered, "And I take it that you haven't thought of an appropriate name for her yet?"

"Nope. Each name has to mean something to the person who names it." Naruko explained, " The Nidaime Uzukage, Uzumaki Rensa, forged it to be one of the strongest blades in existence, so she named it after the greatest mythological creature. The Sandaime, Uzumaki Masahiko, loved to kill and considered himself invincible, so the sword was named for both blood and dragons.

His son, Yondaime Uzukage Uzumaki Mikihiko, was a peaceful man and fought only in defence of his home. But when he did fight, he swept all who faced him away like divine wind blowing insects away, so named it his own nickname. The Godaime Uzukage, Uzumaki Tatsuya, was a deeply spiritual man who was almost assassinated during autumn. He was alerted to the assassins by them stepping on fallen leaves. He took that as a sign and named her appropriately."

Anko shook her head in wonder. "Man, that sword has one complicated history. Got any idea for the name?"

"Not yet. I am working on it, but it isn't easy." Naruko admitted.

"Well then, lets get you a couple of good swords to use until you can think of a good name for Benihime." Tenten grinned as she led Naruko to the arrayed ranks of swords.

After some trial and error, Naruko was happy to purchase two high quality swords that Tenten recommended. Neither were Meito, but very high quality blades none the less. She planned to absorb one into En'ō Kago-te, then go looking for the old Toji Clan Armoury so she could find an appropriately high-quality Fūma Shuriken to absorb.

Tenten promised that the new coats would be far more durable than Naruko's current ones and that the Clan Symbols would be in the same locations. The preparations would take a couple of days at most, so she should come and pick them up then.

Anko and Naruko left the shop more than pleased with the morning's efforts.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Timeskip - Half an hour later**

**Naruko's Bedroom, New Uzumaki Estate**

Naruko was nervous. Anko had told her to change into the fancy lingerie they had bought for her earlier, and then disappeared. She was now wearing a black negligee, a thong and black stockings. Her hair was down and she was sitting on the bed.

She was feeling…odd. In her life, she had rarely had much acknowledgement of her gender from those around her, save for the villagers' unflattering insult of 'Demon Bitch'. Even Iruka-sensei had treated her more like a boy than a girl during the Academy. Yet here she was, wearing something that many girls would be cooing over and she was feeling, dare she say it,…sexy?

She was drawn out of her thoughts by the door opening. Naruko looked up to see Anko clad in clothes very similar to her own. The negligee was cut to emphasise Anko's impressive bust, her thong was hiding the bare minimum and her legs were bare of stockings. Overall, she looked…highly desirable.

"Hey gaki." Anko said in a husky voice, "Like what you see?"

"A-Anko…-sensei?" Naruko gulped at the older woman, who was advancing towards her slowly, "Wh-what…?"

"The third part of Injutsu training is to lose your virginity." Anko muttered as she reached Naruko. The older kunoichi grasped the blond girl's chin gently in one hand and made her look at her face.

"I won't force you to sleep with me, Naruko." Anko said gently, seeing the slight fear in her student's eyes, "This is entirely your choice. If you say no, I'll find someone else that you will approve of."

Naruko, her mouth dry, licked her lips, "Will…Will you be gentle with me?" she whispered.

"Of course." Anko replied, "Although later on, there will be some…rough parts...that need to be covered, but your first time is special. I wouldn't spoil it for you by hurting you."

After a scant moment, Naruko nodded, "I'm all yours for the next day then…Anko-sama."

_**Warning! Lemon! If you don't like this kind of thing, skip to the end of it!**_

Anko smiled, "Gaki, you won't regret this." she said before capturing Naruko in a deep kiss. Naruko's eyes widened at the unexpected move and she tensed slightly before Anko's skilled kissing made her relax and melt into the Snake Mistress' hold.

'_I never knew a kiss would be so…intoxicating._' Naruko thought as she felt Anko's tongue teasing and tantalising her own. She tried to mimic Anko and was somewhat successful.

Anko's hands traced down Naruko's body, leaving what felt like a trial of fire in their wake. Naruko squeaked slightly when her breasts were cupped by Anko, who broke the kiss to whisper into the younger girl's ear.

"Hmmm…your boobs are bigger than I expected gaki." Naruko shivered at the lust in Anko's voice.

"The…the only girl with bigger boobs than me in my graduation class is Hinata-chan." Naruko breathed as her breasts were massaged by Anko.

"Really?" Anko raised an eyebrow at this as she deliberately rubbed Naruko's nipples, eliciting a moan from the girl.

"Y-Yes." Naruko managed to get out, "Take us to the Onsen sometime and you'll see."

"Hmm." Anko hummed a bit as she absently teased her soon-to-be-lover's mounds with ease of familiarity, "I'll have to do that gaki. For now though, it's all about you. Now why don't we get a bit more comfortable?"

With a couple of swift motions, both of the women's tops were fluttering to the floor. Anko motioned to Naruko.

"Here. You seen them, now touch them, feel them." she invited.

Naruko hesitantly touched Anko's breasts, and then massaged them once she grew more confident.

Anko moaned a bit. This girl really _was_ a natural at Injutsu. All she needs is a little practice, some confidence and she'll be all set.

"Not bad gaki." Anko said softly, "Now, let me show you the _advanced_ tricks."

She stopped Naruko's hands with a touch as she spoke, reached for Naruko's own breasts and began alternately rolling and tweaking the girl's nipples in a slow, deliberate pattern.

"Ahn!" Naruko moaned, writhing slightly as Anko's experienced fingers teased her breasts. She felt herself getting more and more aroused with each tweak of her nipples and she was certain her new thong was getting soaked.

"On to the bed, Naruko." Anko's voice penetrated the haze around Naruko's head and she nodded absently. As she fell back to sprawl on the bed, she heard the sound of another piece of fabric hitting the floor.

'_Kami, this…this is really happening._' Naruko thought fuzzily as Anko joined her on the bed, '_I'm really going to sleep with Anko-sensei…oh kami, don't let me mess this up!_'

"Let's get you out of those, shall we?" Anko murmured as she eased the thong off the blond kunoichi and tossed it to one side. She took in the fully revealed body of Naruko with the eye of an experienced kunoichi and seductress and was moderately pleased by what she saw.

Naruko's breasts were moderately impressive for a twelve-year-old girl. The rest of her body was slightly scrawny and malnourished, which Anko hoped would improve as she ate proper food. Then Anko looked at the girl's most precious spot and raised an eyebrow.

'_Damn, it's a regular torrent down there. She must really need release._' Anko thought with a grin ass she saw the desire in Naruko's eyes, '_Luckily for her, I'm just the person to give it to her, and then some._'

She made two handsigns and then dipped her head between Naruko's legs and started lapping at her womanhood, eliciting a startled 'eep!' from her lover.

Naruko's eyes flew open as she felt something intruding _within_ her womanhood and moving in a _very_…interesting way that had her bucking her hips on instinct. She moaned and grasped Anko's head as a feeling of pressure grew within her and she knew instinctively that she wanted _something_ and that Anko could give it to her.

"Anko-sensei…I…I'm gonna…!" Naruko gasped as the feeling within her suddenly became far more urgent and seemed to fill her with a sense of desperation.

"Let go, lover." Anko murmured soothingly to her, "Let me take care of everything and _come_!"

Naruko gasped, moaned and then obeyed her sensei's command and climaxed with a shriek. Her body twitched and jerked slightly before flopping to the bed, leaving her panting and tired yet feeling warm and oh-so good.

Anko withdrew her head from Naruko's womanhood, revealing her tongue, which had grown to an extra long length and was just as flexible as before. She quickly cancelled the jutsu and returned her tongue to its normal length.

"A-Anko-sensei…what…?" Naruko asked through her haze of pleasure.

"A useful little jutsu; _**Hebi Ninpo: **__**Jazetsu (Snake Ninja Art: Snake Tongue)**_." Anko replied with a smirk, "It's one of the jutsu I'll be teaching you which can be use for both Injutsu and for combat. Tell me Naruko, how do you feel?"

Naruko shuddered a bit before replying in a soft voice, "The best I've ever felt in my life."

Anko felt flattered at the compliment, but decided to press on. "Thanks gaki. Now, let's get on to the main event."

"M-Main event?" Naruko's eye widened fractionally.

"Yep. It's not fair to feel good by yourself, lover." Anko purred as she slowly stalked up Naruko's body, "Wouldn't you agree?"

"Y-Yes…" Naruko said faintly before Anko's mouth captured her own yet again.

The two kunoichi pressed their breasts together and let out moans when their nipples rubbed against each other. Anko's hands grasped Naruko's rear and squeezed it firmly, being rewarded by a squeak from Naruko.

Anko sat them both up, pressed her womanhood to Naruko's, and began to move. The friction this caused was _very_ pleasurable and soon both of them were letting out loud moans that echoed throughout the room.

Naruko instinctively bit Anko lightly on the opposite side of her neck from the _**Ten no Juin**_, which made Anko shiver and moan in pleasure before she returned the favour on Naruko's neck.

"An…ko-sensei…I'm…close to…!" Naruko panted.

"Me...too!" Anko grunted. She hadn't slept with anyone for over a week since she started helping Kurenai with Team 8, which was a long time for a woman like Anko who revelled in her sexuality, so _she_ needed this almost as much as Naruko did.

Barely a minute later, the two kunoichi shuddered and moaned loudly as they climaxed almost as one, their love juices soaking the sheets as they streamed from the two lovers' womanhoods.

Utterly spent, the new lovers cuddled together as they fell asleep, both looking more relaxed than they had in years. Unnoticed by the two sleeping females, the streaks of red in Naruko's hair deepened in colour and spread slightly so there was somewhat more red than before.

_**Lemon Over! All those who skipped it can return to reading now!**_

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**At the Same Time**

**Hokage's Office**

"Kakashi, what did I tell you just last week?" Sarutobi asked wearily. He was sitting behind his desk gazing disappointedly at the Elite Jonin, who still managed to look unconcerned in the face of his leaders' disapproval.

"With respect Hokage-sama, the training of a genin team is entirely up to the Jonin-sensei. Not other teams' Jonin-sensei, not you." Kakashi said in a monotone.

Sarutobi's gaze sharpened at this rebuke. "No Kakashi, it is not. That _particular_ law only applies to teams that have at least a year of experience and only if the team in question does not contain a shinobi of particular significance to the village.

Team 7 has two shinobi of particular interest; Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura. The former because he is the last supposedly-loyal member of his clan, the latter because she has both an almost eidetic memory and nigh inhuman levels of chakra control."

"The only reason she has such good control is because her reserves are so pathetically small." Kakashi pointed out, then winced as Sarutobi closed the jaws of his trap.

"Which you have done nothing about! No chakra control exercises, no jutsu training, no taijutsu training, unless you call those mockeries of spars 'training'!" Sarutobi shouted, finally fed-up of Kakashi's laziness, "The skill level of your genin is _exactly the same _as when they were in the Academy!"

"They are genin and it's peace time, they don't need to be war trained!" Kakashi protested, prompting an incredulous look from Sarutobi.

"There _is _a middle-ground between 'no training at all' and 'training for war' Kakashi!" Sarutobi said as he shook his head, "I would have thought you would know that; evidently I was wrong. Alright, look. I will be blunt: you are on your last chance. In a month's time, your team will be tested by an individual of my choice. Should your team give a good accounting of themselves, you will remain the jonin-sensei of Team 7.

Should they _not_ perform adequately on the other hand, you will be demoted to the _Assistant_ Jonin-sensei and Mitarashi Anko will be made the new Jonin-sensei of Team 7. Do you understand, Kakashi?"

"ANKO?! You'd let her loose on a team of _genin_?!" Kakashi yelped in shock, "She'd tear them to pieces! She wouldn't know moderation if it slapped her across the face with a fish!"

"In which case, you had better get to training your genin then, shouldn't you?" Sarutobi said meaningfully, "Oh, but before you go, why did you make Sakura the ASL? I would of thought your bias would be to make Sasuke ASL rather than Sakura."

"To try to break the girl of her Fangirlism and to teach Kiba and Sasuke that gender and birth are meaningless in the real world." Kakashi replied sullenly.

"This is one decision you've made that I approve of, Kakashi." Sarutobi said with a small smile, "Now, go to your genin and train them!"

Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke. Sarutobi pulled out his crystal ball and used his _**Tōmegane no Jutsu (Crystal Ball Jutsu)**_ to ensure that Kakashi was actually obeying his order rather than go to the Shinobi Memorial as he usually did. Unsurprisingly, the man was at the memorial reading his book. Sarutobi shook his head sadly, as he put the ball away.

"Ah, Kakashi-kun, you really shouldn't take me lightly." Sarutobi muttered as he opened a drawer, withdrew a small orange book and opened it at the bookmarked page with a perverted giggle.

"Ah Jiraya-kun, you are a genius writer! I'm proud of you my boy." Sarutobi muttered as a small stream of blood trickled down one nostril as he continued to read the masterpiece of a book, which was called 'Icha-Icha Paradise'.

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**Next Chapter: Gentle Steps and Flower Petals**

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**Jutsu Lexicon**

**Any Jutsu with it's name Emboldened is of my own creation.**

_Any Jutsu with it's name in Italic is a Jutsu from a Game or the Anime that was unranked. I make no claim on any Jutsu so marked._

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_Fūinjutsu: Teashi Omoidzuke Fūin no Jutsu - Sealing Jutsu: Four Limbs Weighting Seal Jutsu_

Rank: A

Type: _Fūinjutsu, Training_

Effect: _Anchored in four wristbands resembling Buddhist prayer beads, this jutsu drastically increases the beads' weight until they are immensely heavy. As the user trains, the beads change colour from white, to blue, green, and yellow and finally red, which signifies the training is complete. Created by Jiraya of the Sannin for rapid and drastic muscle training for Maito Gai._

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Shōsen no Jutsu - Mystic Palm Jutsu

Rank: A

Type: _Iryō (Medical) Ninjutsu_

Effect: _An advanced Jutsu that speeds the healing process of the targeted body. A vital technique on the battlefield, as it bypasses the need for surgery as it affects both external and internal injuries. Requires considerable chakra control to use._

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**Hebi Ninpo: ****Jazetsu - Snake Ninja Art: Snake Tongue**

Rank: C

Type: _Ninjutsu, Injutsu_

Effect: _This Jutsu alters the users tongue into a long prehensile version of itself and can be used to great effect in Injutsu, as well as a surprise attack, for example strangling an opponent when you have both of their arms locked up with your own._

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Tōmegane no Jutsu - Crystal Ball Jutsu

Rank: A

Type: _Ninjutsu, Supplementary_

Effect: _By tracking a target's chakra signature, the user can observe them through the medium of a crystal ball. Used extensively by the Sandaime Hokage to maintain public order in Konohagakure._

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	9. Chap 9: Gentle Steps and Flower Petals

**Author's Note: Yo. Sorry for the length of time between updates, but I've been unwell. Migraines are not pleasant to have. Especially when you also have a cold. Ouch.**

**So, here's the new chapter. It's pretty much a flesh-out chapter for the rest of Team 8 and some others.**

**For those that are wondering, En'ō Kago-te will have the following weapons added to it: Ninjatō, Nagamaki, Duel Kodachi, Katana, Spear, Kusarigama, Tantō, Fūma Shuriken, Tessen and Kama.**

**I'm considering replacing one of them with Tiger Claw gauntlets. Which do you think would be the one to be replaced?**

**Read and review please!**

**On with the Fic!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I am not that good a writer to have made it all up.**

"Dattebayo!" -normal speech

'_Dobe_' -Thoughts

'{_Shannaro!}_' -Inner Sakura

"**Ningen****"**-Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Speech

'**Brat****'** -Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Thoughts

"_**Kage Bunshin!**_" -Ninjutsu/Genjutsu/Taijutsu move.

**Chapter 9: Gentle Steps and Flower Petals**

**The Same Day**

**Clan Meeting Room, Main House, Hyuuga Clan Compound**

Uncharacteristically, the Hyuuga Clan Elders were _not_ glaring at Hinata, which was a novel experience for the Heiress. Usually most of them were gazing at her in absolute and complete contempt before her father entered the room and stopped them with his mere presence.

Instead, the Elders were quiet and, dare she say it, worried about something. Off the top of her head, she could think of but one incident that could cause the Elders to become as concerned as they were and she was secretly looking forward to watching their faces as they were lambasted for letting Arashi get out of control as he had.

Just then, Hyuuga Hiashi walked in and took his position next to Hinata. From what Hinata could see of her father, he was tense, angry and looked ready to flay the skin from something or, more to the point, some_body_.

"Hyuuga Arashi has been formally convicted of one count of Assault on Fellow Konoha Shinobi, two counts of Conspiracy to Commit Murder, one count of Destruction of Private Property and of being an unregistered Sealmaster." Hiashi said without preamble, "I have just returned from a meeting with Hokage-sama, Inuzuka Tsume and Yamanaka Inoichi where I was informed of this. Comments?"

Arashi's father, Elder Gyoza, frowned thunderously. "He was convicted without a representative of the Hyuuga Clan present? Outrageous!" he blustered, "The conviction cannot stand as it is illegal!"

"In matter of fact it can and does stand." Hiashi growled, "Your fool of a son was responsible for the manufacture of over a hundred badly made explosive tags that were used to blow up the former residence of one Uzumaki Naruko. The tags were infused with his chakra, which is a solid piece of evidence linking him to the attempt to kill Uzumaki-san, negating the need for a Clan Representative or even a trial.

In addition, he was defeated, with the greatest of ease, by Elite Jonin Maito Gai when he and his fellow conspirators attempted to assassinate Uzumaki-san in person. The evidence is unimpeachable and undeniable."

Another Elder, Hyuuga Oboro, cleared his throat delicately. "What did Hokage-sama have to say on the subject?" he asked softly.

Hiashi snorted. "He was furious that his surrogate granddaughter was almost killed twice in less than three days. He gave me a list of punishment that can be given to Arashi and we must pick one of them." he said angrily.

"He _dares_ to make demands of _us_?" Gyoza asked furiously.

"He is the _Hokage_." Hiashi reminded the insular idiot, "He is not the leader of a lesser Clan that we can cow with our status, nor is he a civilian merchant we can impress with our power and prestige. He has the right to summarily execute Arashi for his attack on his Clan Ward or even use this to force a lessening of the status of the _entire Hyuuga Clan_ for the affront offered to the position of Hokage for one of us attacking one of his Shinobi.

Instead, he is choosing to humiliate us by forcing _us_ to choose his punishment and forbidding any punishments not on the list. If we ignore his directive, the consequences will be…unfavourable to the Clan."

The silence was palatable in the room, before one of the three Branch House Councilmen spoke, "As…_distasteful_…as this might be, we should at least hear what punishments we have to choose from before considering other actions. Hasty choices are for those who let their emotions rule them, such as the Inuzuka. _We_ are Hyuuga. _We_ rule our emotions, _not_ the other way around."

Hiashi nodded at the man, Hyuuga Kagemaru if he remembered correctly. "Well spoken." he praised the man, "Yes, you should hear all of the options before a decision is made, although I should warn you that neither of the options are what you might call palatable."

"Get on with it already Hiashi." Oboro snorted, "The warnings you're giving won't sink in until we hear the damn choices anyway."

Hiashi chuckled humourlessly. "A fair point. Very well. These are the two choices; One: Arashi's chakra is to be sealed, he is to be dishonourably discharged from the Ninja Forces and he is to be banished both from the Clan and from Konoha. Two: He forfeits all of his personal possessions, both ninja tools and Clan items that do not contain Hyuuga Clan secrets to Uzumaki Naruko as per the Spoils of War Act, section two, all of his mission pay for the next ten years is to be given to Uzumaki Naruko and he is to branded with the Sleeping Bird Seal."

The council was in uproar. The punishments were extreme opposites and contradicted too many Hyuuga Clan Laws to be permitted! The additional stipulation that no other punishments were to be allowed precluded the use of the Caged Bird Seal, so the banishment option was out of the question.

Hiashi smirked internally. The deal that he had worked out with the Hokage was working out wonderfully. The council was faced with two distasteful options: One, send Arashi out into the world with no chakra and no seal to keep the _**Byakugan**_ safe and Two, make Arashi into a source of income for Uzumaki Naruko and prevent his line from continuing. It was obvious which would be picked and it was only a matter of time before the council realised it.

Gyoza summed up the feelings of the Hyuuga Council quite well with his roar of, "This is an outrage! All of these so-called punishments are little more than a slap in the face of Arashi, myself and the Hyuuga Clan as a whole! They cannot be countenanced!"

Hiashi regarded the man for a moment before turning to Hinata. "My daughter, you were present when the second assassination attempt was made, were you not?" he asked coolly.

"H-Hai, I was Otou-sama." Hinata replied.

"Had Maito Gai not interfered with Hyuuga Arashi's attack on Uzumaki Naruko, what do you think would have happened?" he questioned neutrally.

Hinata chewed on her lip as she thought for a moment before answering. "I-In all likelihood, Hyuuga Arashi would have b-been engaged by Tokubetsu Jonin Mitarashi Anko, whilst my Jonin-sensei, Yūhi Kurenai, dealt with the Inuzuka Clan member and my teammates and I would have still confronted Yamanaka Haruo." she ventured.

"I see." Hiashi's poker face was inscrutable, "And what is your assessment of Yamanaka Haruo's abilities?"

"H-He's slightly slower than average for a Jonin, with powerful Katon ninjutsu in addition to the techniques of the Yamanaka Clan." Hinata responded immediately, "With the combined abilities of me and my teammates, we could have, and did, defeat him."

"The final blow was by Uzumaki-san was it not?" Hiashi questioned.

"H-Hai. She dodged a powerful Katon, the _**Gōryūka no Jutsu**_, and delivered a strong kick that Haruo was unable to avoid." Hinata replied.

"Oh? And why was he unable to avoid Uzumaki-san's attack?" Hiashi questioned.

"B-Because…I…I used the _**Hakke Sanjūni **__**Shō**_ on him a minute before the last blow was struck." Hinata replied hesitantly.

"Preposterous!" scoffed Gyoza, "I know for a fact that Hiashi has not taught you any of the three Main Family Taijutsu attacks, Hinata-'sama', so cease your lying at once!"

"Honoured Elder, I am t-telling the t-truth." Hinata replied.

"Indeed she is." Hiashi said as he turned the 'Hyuuga Glare' onto Gyoza, making the Elder quail slightly, "She performed the technique on Hanabi at my request and performed it nearly perfectly."

"But then…how did she learn it?" Oboro questioned, "Did you teach her, Hiashi-sama?"

"No, I did not." Hiashi replied, "Hinata learned the technique _by herself _from a scroll she found that was written by her mother, Hitomi. I have examined the scroll in question and have found it to contain an altered version of the technique, designed for a Hyuuga who has a Water Primary Elemental Affinity. Hinata, you recently had your Affinity tested, did you not?"

"H-Hai." Hinata replied, "I-I have a primary Water Affinity and Secondary Wind Affinity. My Sensei's were…shocked…that my affinity was not tested before now."

Gyoza sniffed disdainfully. "That happens to be a Hyuuga Clan _tradition_ that outsiders have _no_ right to criticise."

"That is a subject for another time." Hiashi said pointedly, "To return to the main point, Hinata is right in saying that Arashi would have been confronted by Tokujo Mitarashi, who would have been hard pressed to defeat him. Jonin Yūhi would be useless against a Hyuuga as our _**Byakugan**_ all but completely negates her genjutsu. Moreover, he would have torn through the members of Team 8 with ease.

Should Arashi and his allies have succeeded, he would have been forced to flee Konoha with them, resulting in a _**Byakugan**_ outside of our control and vulnerable to being captured by Kiri or Kumo, which would make my brother's sacrifice a wasted effort. I am thankful that Maito Gai was assigned to aid Team 8 in this matter otherwise two jonin and three genin -_three_ _Clan Heiresses _no less- would be dead and our bloodline would be vulnerable to all and sundry."

There was grumbling from the Main Family Councillors, but no outright disagreements.

Hiashi looked around before continuing, "As we are all in agreement that the _**Byakugan**_ must remain within Konoha and under our control, I must admit that the second punishment fit the bill for Arashi. He must be punished severely so no Hyuuga will dare to assault Uzumaki-san -or any _other_ member of the Shinobi Forces- ever again."

"You would make _my_ grandchildren non-Hyuuga!?" Gyoza roared angrily. The Elder's face was puce and heading towards a violent shade of vermillion.

"You would prefer him to be banished, with no chakra to protect himself?" Hiashi enquired, "Make no mistake Elder Gyoza, I am _not_ happy that we are being forced to punish one of our own here. I am _also_ not happy that one of our own was _stupid_ enough to be mixed up in this business even peripherally, let alone one of the two _in charge _of the entire debacle. I will urge you _all _to spread the word to your families that anyone from the Clan who is found guilty of being involved in similar events will be executed outright and their name struck from the Clan Register. Am I clear?"

Shock was written across the faces of every Council member, even the Branch Family Representatives. Being struck from the Clan Register meant that you were not allowed to be buried with your ancestors, prayed for or even spoken of. The person's name was usually banned from being used for _several generations _before anyone else was given it again such was the dishonour this entailed.

"Good." Hiashi said, having gotten his message across, "So, I believe we should vote now. All those in favour of Hyuuga Arashi being stripped of his rank in the Shinobi Forces, his chakra sealed and then banished from the village please raise your hand."

Not a single hand was raised, as expected.

"All those in favour of Hyuuga Arashi forfeiting his personal Ninja Tools, equipment and personal possessions, save those that contain Clan Secrets and Jutsu, to Uzumaki Naruko, be branded with the _**Hyuuga Sōke **__**Kechimyaku Hozen no Juinjutsu (Hyuuga Main Family's Bloodline Conservation Cursed Seal)**_, otherwise known as the Sleeping Bird Seal, and payment of all mission-earned pay for the next decade to Uzumaki Naruko, please raise your hands." Hiashi continued.

Every hand other than Hyuuga Gyoza's rose almost as one, with Gyoza glaring at Hiashi with an air of intractable stubbornness about him.

"The majority is in favour. The punishment of Hyuuga Arashi has been decided. I will communicate our decision to Hokage-sama tomorrow and arrange for the sealing of Hyuuga Arashi for the day after tomorrow." Hiashi said neutrally, "I believe that this is all the business we have at the moment. Does anyone have any new proposals to bring forward?"

"I do." Gyoza snarled, "I put forward the motion that Hinata-'sama' is unfit to continue as Heiress and that she be stripped of her title and branded with the Caged Bird Seal at once!"

Hiashi's face hardened. He had half expected Gyoza to try to pull this, but for him to actually do it was more than slightly stupid of the man.

"The motion has been put forward." Hiashi said quietly, "Hyuuga Gyoza, kindly state your reasoning for this proposal."

"Isn't it obvious? Her Elemental Affinity is not Earth, therefore her _**Juken**_ skills are pitiful, and therefore she doesn't deserve the title of Heiress of the Hyuuga Clan!" Gyoza expounded fanatically.

"Elder Oboro, please take over as Chair of the meeting so I may defend my daughter." Hiashi said in an ice-cold voice. With a gulp, Oboro nodded his assent.

"Elder Gyoza, your main point here is that Hinata's Elemental Affinities are hindering her use of our Clan Art. Am I correct?" Hiashi asked icily.

"Obviously." Gyoza said his voice brash.

"I take it you recall my wife, Hitomi, Elder Gyoza?" Hiashi asked.

"Yes, of course." Gyoza replied slowly, wary of the apparent tangent the Clan Leader was going down.

"Would you say that she was skilled in our Art?" Hiashi enquired.

Gyoza was confused as to exactly where Hiashi was going with this, but decided to humour him. "Yes, Hitomi was adequately skilled at _**Juken**_. I fail to see where you are going with this, Hiashi." he said with contempt.

"My wife was a Primary Water Affinity as well." Hiashi said quietly, causing Gyoza's eyes to widen in shock.

"I'll grant you that she couldn't use pure _**Juken**_." Hiashi continued, "But she altered and changed it into a Taijutsu Style that she could use with ease. She called this new style the _**Jūho (Gentle Step)**_. The technique that Hinata discovered was the _**Jūho **_version of the _**Hakke Sanjūni Shō**_ that Hitomi developed."

The council was stunned by this news. Hinata was awed that her mother had dared to go against Hyuuga tradition and altered their prized family art into something more suited for herself. She dimly recalled her mother practicing her taijutsu one day. She looked as if she was dancing across the floor, far more fluidly than her father or any other practitioner of the _**Juken**_ ever could hope to move.

Gyoza was shaken by this revelation. The _**Juken **_was a sacred art passed down through the Hyuuga Clan from generation to generation. The choice to make it an Earth-oriented style was made in the very beginning, by the eldest son of the Rikudō Sennin's eldest son. To have someone alter it into a lesser form was a great blasphemy that could _not_ be countenanced.

"Regardless of a person's elemental affinity, it is forbidden to alter the _**Juken**_ in any shape or form." Gyoza said stiffly, "Had this fact been found while Hitomi was still alive, she would have been punished most severely."

"Where in the laws and traditions of our clan is that particular item mentioned?" Hiashi asked politely.

This question stunned the intractable old man for a moment. "It…It's _tradition_!" he shot back, "Traditions are not always written down!"

"So in other words it is _not_ illegal, _nor_ has it been entered into the official traditions of the Hyuuga Clan." Hiashi stated pointedly, "Meaning the entire thing is just the conservative nature of the Clan as a whole and this Council in particular."

Hiashi looked at the council with hooded eyes, "Over the last century, our art, while still strong, has become stagnant and ossified, while other taijutsu styles have evolved and grown stronger than ever before." he said flatly, "If the _**Juken**_ does not evolve along with them, we will eventually be overtaken and left behind like dust on the wind."

All of the council cringed at the thought of such a thing happening.

"Preposterous!" Gyoza scoffed, "Our Art revolves around our _**Byakugan**_. As long as we hold that card, our style is invincible!"

"Sheer arrogance. Has Arashi's defeat taught you _nothing_?" Hiashi sneered, "Maito Gai does not possess the _**Byakugan**_, yet he defeated your son without so much as a closed tenketsu in return, in part because he is an Elite Jonin but also in part _because he knew the limitations of the __**Byakugan**_!"

Gyoza gaped at Hiashi in astonishment as the Clan Leader spoke. Just because of that? His son lost _just_ because the man knew a few of the limitations of the Hyuuga Clan's Kekkei Genkai?

"Thus far, the Hyuuga Clan has managed to keep the weaknesses of our Kekkei Genkai a secret through draconian and paranoiac measures." Hiashi continued, "Eventually though, whether it comes in ten years or a hundred, our enemies will discover at least a few of our weaknesses and seek to exploit them. If we do not make improvements to our Art, we will fall. It is as simple as that."

The bleak picture he painted was making the council blanch in horror, Hiashi noted wryly. The scenario he was outlining was a worst case one and would require a lot of bad luck to happen to the Hyuuga Clan in order to happen, but it _was_ possible. The easiest way to confuse people in politics is to tell the truth, even if it was only a half truth.

Gyoza was still doing a passable imitation of a landed fish, so Hiashi took advantage of his stupefaction. He nodded at Oboro, who took the hint.

"Both sides have given their arguments." Oboro said loudly, "We shall now vote on whether Hyuuga Hinata should be stripped of her title of Heiress of the Hyuuga Clan and be branded with the _**Hyuuga Sōke no Juinjutsu**_. All those in favour, raise your hands."

A small smattering of hands were raised, including a still dazed Gyoza, who seemed to be running on autopilot while he digested everything Hiashi had said.

"All those against?" Oboro enquired. Every single other hand was raised, eliciting a small smirk from Hiashi and a relieved sigh from Hinata. "The motion is denied. Hinata-sama remains the Heiress and will not be branded by the Caged Bird Seal. I return the Chair to Hiashi-sama."

"Thank you." Hiashi replied, "I have to train my daughter now, so I hereby dismiss the meeting. We will meet at the usual time next month, barring any more unexpected happenings."

As the council filed out of the room, Hinata allowed herself a small smile. She had dodged yet another attempt at being branded before her sixteenth birthday, which was the absolute limit for someone to be branded with the Caged Bird Seal. This made the third attempt in as many years.

More importantly, she had discovered that her mother had developed a taijutsu style based on the _**Juken**_ that was for those who had a Primary Water Affinity. Hinata _had_ to get her hands on it so she could prove herself. Not to her father and the Clan, but to Naruko, so she would never have to endure seeing her blond teammate almost die in front of her again.

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**Audience Chamber, Yamanaka Clan Meeting Hall**

To sum up how Ino was currently feeling required only a single word: BORED!

She had been listening to the squabbling of her fellow clansmen in place of her father, who had been called to a meeting with the Hokage. Adjusting the minimum and maximum amount for dowries, hearing complaints between various clansmen, filling out various dry pieces of paperwork….essentially what her father was supposed to be doing.

'_Daddy, there had _better_ be a good reason for you to have left me here to do your job for you!_' Ino thought darkly as she adjudicated in a dispute between two men over a family heirloom that had gone missing and they were each accusing the other of having stolen it.

Just then, her father strode into the room. Ino was about to call out to him, but the look on his face stopped her cold. The expression that covered Yamanaka Inoichi's face was full of anger, mixed with grief and sadness.

"I'm calling the Yamanaka Council together for an emergency meeting." Inoichi said loudly, drawing the attention of the entire room as he spoke, "I'm sorry, but I must ask that everyone wait until tomorrow to have their issues resolved as the issue I have to bring forward is complicated and rather urgent."

With that, he strode off to the private meeting room that doubled as the council chamber when it was necessary, swiftly followed by the rest of the council. Ino hurriedly bowed to the two men in front of her and followed them.

Inoichi, seated at the head of the table, frowned slightly when his daughter walked into the room but begrudgingly nodded in acquiescence to Ino's presence. She was the Heiress and had every right to attend a meeting such as this.

Besides, just letting her in without arguing about it would save him from receiving a scathing tongue-lashing from her for treating her like a kid now that she was a full ninja.

Once everyone took there seats, Inoichi cleared his throat and began. "I've just come from a meeting with Hokage-sama regarding Haruo's punishment." he said bluntly.

The council muttered amongst themselves at this, with Ino smiling viciously in triumph.

"What has Hokage-sama decided to be the punishment?" One Councilman asked carefully.

"As it has been determined, through extensive interrogation by myself and Morino Ibiki over the last week, that Haruo was the only member of the Yamanaka Clan to have knowledge of this matter, the Clan itself will not suffer any penalties." Inoichi replied, answering the unspoken part of his question, "Haruo however is not getting off as easily. He is guilty of using the _**Shintenshin no Jutsu (Mind-Body Switch Jutsu)**_ on fellow Konoha Shinobi for the purpose of attempting to kill Naruko twelve years ago, as well as Destruction of Private property, Masterminding a Conspiracy to Murder a Civilian and Attempted Murder of Fellow Konoha."

The council winced at the charges, while Ino scowled angrily. Haruo had been trying to kill Naruko for _twelve years_?! Just because he thought she was the Kyuubi reincarnated? Ino ground her teeth and forced herself to listen to what her father was saying.

"Because he was the one who ultimately commanded and controlled the entire group, Hokage-sama is disinclined to be merciful in his case and he is being sentence to life imprisonment in Hōzuki-jō (Demon Lantern Castle)." Inoichi said gravely.

"The Blood Prison?!" another Councilmember gasped in horror.

The prison in Kusagakure (Village Hidden in the Grass) was well known for it's ability to contain it's ninja inmates because of the use of the ultimate imprisonment jutsu, _**Katon: Tenrō (Fire Style: Celestial Prison)**_, but it was also the most brutal prison in existence. Very few survived longer than five years before trying to use chakra to escape and being burned from the inside out by their own chakra or having the warden, Mui, burn them for a punishable offence…like breathing too hard.

"Hokage-sama is, quite understandably, _adamant_ that a message be sent to everyone that acting as Haruo has will not be mitigated by Clan Status or how close one is to the head of their Clan." Inoichi told them firmly.

"Is that _it_? He just gets sent to prison?" Ino asked disgustedly.

"As a matter of fact, no." Inoichi replied, "All of Haruo's Ninja Tools are automatically being given to Naruko as per the Spoils of War Act, as well as his entire library of jutsu scrolls, aside from the one to do with Yamanaka techniques which are being given to you, Princess."

Ino squealed in joy. Haruo, being a Jonin, had quite a few scrolls of advanced techniques she could learn.

Inoichi smiled slightly at his daughter before continuing, "Finally, all of Haruo's money is to be divided between Ino, Hinata and Naruko. That is the entire punishment for Haruo."

"It seems somewhat…harsh for Haruo, considering the de-, I mean, _Uzumaki-san _was not harmed." an elderly councilman remarked carelessly, "Should we not move for leniency?"

Ino slammed her hand down and glared at the man. "Are you even _listening_ to yourself?! He blew up Naruko's _entire building _to try to kill her!" she shouted at the man, "He used his fellow shinobi as _tools _to try and kill a _baby_! He used a Katon Jutsu that would have killed _me_ if Naruko-chan hadn't forcibly moved me out of the way just before he used it!"

Pausing for breath, Ino saw that the man was gaping at her in astonishment, as were a few of his peers who were of similar age to him.

"On the purely political side, leaving the moral side completely, the Yamanaka Clan _cannot_ be seen to apparently shield a criminal like Haruo, especially since the target of Haruo's actions is a girl the Sandaime Hokage regards as his _surrogate granddaughter_!" Ino continued more calmly, "Besides, if we try and shield him and _fail_, it creates a precedent for the sitting Hokage to interfere in Clan business, which I doubt anyone here likes the idea of."

Indeed the council seemed outraged at the very thought. Inoichi hid a smile at Ino's deft manipulation of the council. By turning it into a matter of politics, they had no choice but to comply with the orders of the Hokage on this matter, unless they wanted to open a can of worms the Clans of Konoha had spent the last hundred or so years _keeping_ unopened: direct interference in Clan matters by the Village ruler.

"I think my Heir has put it fairly succinctly." Inoichi said, pride evident in his voice, making Ino blush slightly. "I feel that if Hokage-sama sees the Yamanaka Clan endorsing this punishment of one of its members, especially one so close to the Clan head in relation, he will be far less likely to keep an eye on our clansmen and women via subtle ANBU monitoring for instances of other conspiracies, not that any exist."

Nods of agreement emerged from the council with unsurprising alacrity. The last Clan to be monitored by the ANBU had been the Uchiha just prior to their destruction at the hands of their best ninja. The last thing any Clan needed was that kind of stigma hanging over them.

"So then, I'll have a form endorsing this punishment of Yamanaka Haruo written up for this council to sign and seal." Inoichi said firmly. His face was neutral, but he was dancing inside. In one stroke, the council was endorsing the punishment of one of their own and Ino had proven herself as a competent and canny politician.

Life was good.

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**Unknown Location, Konoha**

In the dimly lit office, a single man was busy wrestling through paperwork. The man had shaggy black hair, a cross-shaped scar on his chin and had one eye covered in bandages. One of his arms was in a sling and he wore a formal black kimono and white under-kimono.

His name was Shimura Danzō.

'_That old fool Hiruzen._' he thought bitterly, '_If he gave the Jinchuruki to me, Konoha's future would be a bright one where it would _truly_ be the strongest of the Hidden Villages in fact as well as name._'

He grunted with exasperation at his old teammate. If only he had spoken up when Tobirama-sensei had asked for a volunteer to hold the KinkakuButai (Golden Horn Force) at bay while the rest had fled, he would have been appointed as the Sandaime Hokage instead of Hiruzen.

He mentally cursed his own fear of death that had paralyzed him. After that, Danzō had determined that shinobi had no need of emotions and had created the division of ANBU known as Ne (Root/Foundation) which was made up of specially trained shinobi who had had their emotions crushed and ground into non-existence by a gruelling training regime.

He gradually became known as the 'Yami no Shinobi' (Dark Shinobi) because of his willingness to do anything to accomplish his own goals. Danzō did not really care. He loved Konoha with all of his being, so a few sacrifices here and there and the sullying of his own good name was a small price to pay to ensure Konoha's prosperity as far as he was concerned.

After all, you can't make Tamagoyaki (Japanese Omelette) without breaking a few eggs, right?

He was drawn from his thoughts by the almost silent appearance of one of his Ne Agents.

"Report." he commanded, not even looking up from his paperwork at the kneeling figure.

"The three who assaulted the Jinchuruki are being punished severely for their actions." The Agent reported in a monotone, "The ringleader is to be sent to the Blood prison, the Hyuuga is basically going to work gratis for the next ten years and the Inuzuka…is being 'retrained'."

Danzō shuddered slightly and felt an almost unperceivable flicker of pity for the Inuzuka shinobi. Retraining was the worst punishment in the Inuzuka Clan barring banishment and involved Clan-wide humiliation and submission of the re-trainee to almost everyone in the Clan. Worst of all, you had to earn the right to act as a human back, judged by the Clan Head personally.

And Inuzuka Tsume was a brass-clad bitch to please at the best of times. When she's as pissed at someone as Danzō knew she would be at one Inuzuka Shippo, his life would be intolerable for at _least_ six months.

If she was feeling forgiving.

"Is there any sign that they suspect a…outside influence to Yamanaka Haruo's actions?" Danzō asked.

"None. Neither Morino Ibiki nor Yamanaka Inoichi have made reference to anything either in writing or verbally." The Agent replied, making the old warhawk relax ever so slightly in his chair. His use of _**Kotoamatsukami **_on the Yamanaka had gone unnoticed, it would seem.

"And the Jinchuruki?"

"Currently undergoing remedial seduction training at her new Clan Compound with Tokujo Mitarashi." was the unexpected reply.

Danzō frowned. This was an unexpected wrinkle. "Was an actual mission issued or did the Mitarashi woman seduce the Jinchuruki?"

"A mission was issued midday the day before yesterday by the Third Hokage himself." replied the Agent.

"Why was I not informed?" Danzō demanded irritably. This was _not_ what he had planned to happen when he had set out to isolate the girl!

"You were embedded in a meeting with Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu on the day itself." the Agent said tonelessly, "Yesterday, you were inspecting one of Ne's backup bases. This morning, you instructed Torune and Fū not to let anyone disturb you. I have only just been able to get in to speak with you."

Despite his emotion-suppressing training, Danzō definitely detected some mild irritation in his agent's voice. Evidently Danzō's recently busy schedule had been playing havoc with this particular agent's ability to report to him.

"I see." Danzō said, "In future, should I be unavailable to report to in person and the report is urgent, leave a message with the on duty agent to inform me ASAP."

"Hai, Danzō-sama." The Agent replied.

"Has there been any luck in subverting the boundary seals on the old Toji Clan estate?" Danzō continued.

"Regrettably no. The Toji Clan was small when it was inducted into Konoha ninety years ago and, from what I can glean of the original agent's notes from fifty years ago, he deemed them a Clan with little power or influence and thus assigned them a low priority on the seal boundary subversion, which means it had not even been begun until the Jinchuruki moved in." the Agent replied, "Unfortunately, progress has been even slower than expected, due to the Jinchuruki having random patrols around the perimeter with her Shadow Clones. The agents assigned the task of subverting the boundary seals have been…less than enthusiastic about their chances of successfully subverting the seals in any less than six months at current."

Danzō suppressed a growl at this. "Have them expedite. I want to be able to infiltrate Ne Agents into the main manor in three months. Am I understood?"

"Hai Danzō-sama." The Agent replied tonelessly.

"Good. Leave me now." Danzō said dismissively. The Agent vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving the crippled man to his pondering.

'_Orochimaru plans to attack Konoha in about four months' time._' Danzō considered his plan seriously, '_Thus far, Hiruzen has shown no signs that he is aware that Otogakure is in fact under the control of his ex-student. If I can have the seals subverted fully by then, I can have my Agents infiltrate the manor and steal the Uzushiogakure Archives under the cover of the invasion, which will fail. Hiruzen is many things but he is not weak, nor has Konoha's strength deteriorated so much that not even Suna and Oto working together can defeat the full might of it's military might. _

_Ultimately, it matters not who wins in the short term, because in the long term, the true victor…shall be me._'

A sinister smile appeared on the old warhawk's face as he continued to scheme and plan in the flickering light of his office.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Some Time later**

**Konoha Streets**

Ino was walking down the street towards her favourite clothes shop. She had been given the rest of the day off by her father as a reward for both her hard work during the morning and her exemplary performance during the council meeting.

The blond-haired kunoichi hummed to herself as she window shopped at some of the clothes shops that she frequented. Ino loved shopping, especially clothes shopping. She had dozens of dresses, shoes, skirts, blouses and the like. Not to mention some very racy underwear that would give any boy (and a few girls) a nosebleed to see her wearing them.

Distracted by thoughts of seducing her Sasuke-kun, she bumped into a familiar red-clad figure.

"Forehead?" Ino asked once she recovered from her surprise, "What's up? You look awful."

It was true. Sakura's face was drawn and tired, with small hints of bags beneath her eyes. Her red battle dress was slightly unkempt, with wrinkles and tears in it.

"I-Ino-pig?" Sakura asked faintly as she peered at her friend/rival blearily. Ino was becoming worried here. Sakura's voice was slightly slurred with tiredness, which was unlike her old friend. Sakura loved to lie in and sleep, so her being so tired made no sense.

"Sakura, what's up?" Ino demanded as she led a stumbling Sakura to a nearby café and plopped the pinkette in a chair before slipping into one opposite her.

"N-Nothing." Sakura lied unconvincingly. Ino just looked at her with a hard look in her eyes, making the pinkette wilt slightly.

"Spill. Now." Ino ordered.

"I…Oh Ino!" Sakura let out a dry sob, "Sasuke-kun and Kiba have been making me do all of the housework! All of it! They don't do a thing around the house and blame me if anything falls behind!"

Ino gaped at her friend in shock. "But…Kiba I would understand, but Sasuke-kun?" she said in disbelief.

"Well…he doesn't sneer at me like Kiba does, but he doesn't do anything either." Sakura replied as she slumped slightly in her seat.

"Okay, but that doesn't explain why you look like you got stampeded by a herd of sheep." Ino probed.

"Kiba keeps trying to sneak into my room every night." Sakura said softly, "He just wont get it through his head that I'm not an Inuzuka and thus not impressed by the fact that he's an 'Alpha' in his pack. Thankfully, I have a strong locking seal on my door that Kiba can't break through. Akamaru won't help him, so unless he seriously ups his strength, he wont be getting in. I'm too scared to sleep though."

"Forehead, tell your Jonin-sensei!" Ino told her friend worriedly, "What Kiba is doing is blatant sexual harassment! You can't let him get away with it!"

"Ha!" Sakura snorted, "Kakashi-sensei blatantly told us when we moved in that it was up to us to sort out our problems ourselves and not to run to him for every little squabble we had."

"I think this counts as something slightly more than 'a little squabble', Sakura." Ino replied dryly, "This is Kiba deliberately trying to force entry into your room to do who knows what to you. Naruko-chan has been worried about you, y'know."

Sakura looked taken aback. "She has? Since when?"

"Since you were made ASL." Ino replied as she looked her friend up and down with a slight frown, "What else have you been doing? There's no way that's everything that's been happening."

"I've not been getting much in the way of training recently." Sakura admitted, "So I've been doing a bit of training by myself at Training Field 7. Unfortunately, I fell down quite a bit and, well, you see what happened. Guess my lack of sleep caught up with me."

Ino sat and looked at her friend for a moment before making a decision.

"Right, lets get you to my house. You look dead on your feet and I think a nice relaxing bath followed by some shuteye will do you the world of good." She announced to her startled companion with a cheerful smile as she stood and dragged Sakura off to her house.

'_And _then_ I'm gonna tell daddy about what Kiba-baka has been trying to do to you._' Ino thought with a vicious grin.

No-one messed with Yamanaka Ino's friends. NO-ONE!

Elsewhere, Kiba shuddered as he felt evil intent being directed towards him.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Next Chapter: Kiba In the Doghouse**

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	10. Chapter 10: Kiba in the Doghouse

**Author's Note: I have been giving a lot of thought to what weapons go into the En'ō Kago-te, taking into account all of the opinions of the reviews and I have made my decisions. Twelve weapons all in all and these are my choices.**

**Bō**

**Katana**

**Fūma Shuriken**

**Tiger Claws (Replacing the Twin Kodachi)**

**Yari**

**Nagamaki**

**Tessen**

**Ogama (Big Scythe, replacing Kama)**

**Kusarigama**

**Zanbatō**

**Ninjatō**

**Tantō**

**I thank everyone for his or her input who put it forwards.**

**Moving on, I am busy planning Team 8's first C-Rank mission. It is going to be…interesting…to say the least.**

**That is enough from me, now on with the Fic!**

**Disclaimer: Naruto ain't mine.**

"Dattebayo!" -normal speech

'_Dobe_' -Thoughts

'{_Shannaro!}_' -Inner Sakura

"**Ningen****"**-Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Speech

'**Brat****'** -Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Thoughts

"_**Kage Bunshin!**_" -Ninjutsu/Genjutsu/Taijutsu move.

**Chapter 10: Kiba in the Doghouse**

**Two Hours Later**

**Inuzuka Tsume's Living Room, Inuzuka Compound, Clan Residential District Outskirts**

If a word could be used to describe Inuzuka Tsume at this particular moment, 'furious' would be an understatement. 'Incandescent' or perhaps 'Volcanic' would be _far_ more appropriate.

That good-for-nothing _idiot_ Shippo had brought disgrace on the entire Inuzuka Clan by joining with Yamanaka Haruo and Hyuuga Arashi to try and kill Uzumaki Naruko.

Not only had he been stupid enough to do _that_, he had also agreed privately with Haruo to kill the other two Heiresses as well, as he was even more dismissive of Kunoichi than Kiba was, if it was at all possible.

Tsume growled angrily. The dumb idiot was so stupid that he hadn't thought of what would happen _after_ he killed them. The Hyuuga, Yamanaka and the Hokage would have torn him to pieces, along with any member of the Inuzuka Clan who got in the way.

_How_ Shippo had even managed to get promoted to a Combat Chunin was beyond Tsume. He made Kiba look like a paragon of tolerance and foresight!

"Still angry about Shippo?" asked her ninken partner Kuromaru, who was lying down next to her.

"Obviously." Tsume snorted, "I'm just struck dumb by how _stupidly_ he went about it. Leaving all the moral right/wrong debates of trying to kill an allied Clan's Heir to one side, he got played like a fiddle by Yamanaka Haruo and Hyuuga Arashi and danced to their tune with barely even any suspicion at _all_ on his part!"

"Humph." Kuromaru snorted as he stretched, "Kiiromaru was telling me last week that Shippo was going to do something stupid. Wouldn't tell me what, just that he wouldn't help Shippo do whatever it is that he was gonna do."

"Shippo's ninken?" Tsume asked with a frown, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You were at the council meeting on the day, and Shippo disappeared the day after." Kuromaru replied simply.

Tsume was about to answer, when one of the compound's Front Gate guards shouted out, "Tsume-sama! Yamanaka Inoichi-sama wishes to have a meeting with you!"

This took Tsume slightly aback. Inoichi was an old drinking buddy of hers and came by for a visit every so often. He usually just walked in after saying hello to the guards. The fact that he was _asking_ to be let in and have a meeting meant he had something serious to discuss with her.

"…Shit." she muttered, "Now what? LET HIM IN!" she roared to the guards.

Tsume took a seat on a comfortable armchair and waited for Inoichi to come in. She didn't have to wait long.

Inoichi swept into the room she was in, his face set like it was carved from stone. Tsume wondered what the hell this could be about.

"Inoichi." she greeted the Yamanaka Clan Head warily.

"Tsume. Kuromaru." he replied tersely.

"Have a seat and tell me why the hell you look like you want to rip someone to pieces." The Inuzuka Matriarch said waving at a nearby chair.

"Bring Hana here. She needs to know this as well." the blond man said flatly.

Tsume looked surprised, but sent Kuromaru to get Hana, who arrived a couple of minutes later with the Haimaru Brothers, three ash-grey littermates, at her heels.

"Mother? Kuromaru said you wanted to see me?" Hana asked as she finished putting her long brown hair into its usual ponytail. Today had been her day off, so she had been reading some advanced Iryō Ninjutsu scrolls and occasionally romping and playing with her ninken companions.

"Inoichi apparently has something he wants to discuss with us." Tsume replied as both Hana and Inoichi took a seat. Formal Clans like the Hyuuga sneered at the informal nature of the Inuzuka Clan. They eschewed rites, pomp and uselessly fancy meeting rooms, instead preferring to have relaxed meeting in informal settings like this.

The pack nature of their ninken companions influenced this choice, but the main reason was simply that the Inuzuka were a very informal clan who didn't give a rat's arse about formality.

"Now we're all here, can you please tell me what's gotten you in such a bad mood?" Tsume probed impatiently.

Inoichi sighed heavily before beginning. "A couple of hours ago, Ino brought Haruno Sakura to my house, bathed her and put her to bed in her old room. The poor girl went out like a light. Ino then proceeded to tell me why."

His face darkened even more as he spoke his next words. "Apparently, she has been forced to perform every single household chore in her team's house for the last week by her teammates. She has also been too frightened to do more than nap lightly during the nights, because _your son_," Inoichi emphasised, "tries to break into her room every single night to 'establish his dominance as an Alpha' over her."

Tsume and Hana stare dumbly at Inoichi, utterly stunned by what he said.

"K-Kiba…no, I don't believe even _he_ could be stupid enough to do that." Tsume said at last.

"I scanned Sakura's memories." Inoichi replied softly, "She spoke the absolute truth. In fact, she neglected to tell Ino that Kiba has been constantly referring to her as a 'breeder bitch' when not around their Jonin-sensei. Among other things."

Hana growled at the blatant disrespect such a title implied to Sakura, swiftly joined by Tsume

"I can't believe that two members of my clan are embarrassing me twice in two weeks!" Tsume ground out.

"I…personally think there is something amiss with Kiba." Inoichi said carefully, prompting the two Inuzuka's to look at him.

"You mean _aside_ from the fact he treats kunoichi like trash?" the Inuzuka Matriarch asked sarcastically.

"No, the way in which he expresses it." Inoichi replied, "A boy who has a strong kunoichi for a mother should know better than to mouth off about his contempt for them, especially in front of the Hokage! Even more so when his older sister is also a strong kunoichi."

Hana's eyes were narrowed. "You suspect someone's been messing with his head?" she asked sharply.

"Haruo is a very skilled jonin, who has mastered several advanced Yamanaka Clan Jutsu." Inoichi said carefully, "In addition, he has had access to the Yamanaka Shadow Archives, where we keep our kinjutsu. To clarify, by 'Kinjutsu', I don't mean just any jutsu with a slight risk, such as the _**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_. _These_ jutsu have been forbidden to be used by our Clan due to the immoral nature of the Jutsu in question."

"How many Kinjutsu in the Yamanaka Clan repertoire could accomplish this?" Tsume asked.

"Right off the top of my head, about half a dozen." Inoichi replied, "It would make sense if Shippo is as misogynistic as you say he is. He resents the fact that a woman is the Alpha of his Clan and makes a deal with Haruo to use a jutsu of some sort on Kiba that makes him equally as misogynistic as Shippo himself as petty revenge for that fact."

"When does Haruo get shipped to Hōzuki-jō?" Tsume asked, "I want to find out what the hell he did to my pup."

"Tomorrow, supposedly." Inoichi replied, "However, I think that this little deduction requires an in-depth probe into Haruo's mind, so Hokage-sama ought to listen to the both of us if we lay this in front of him. Is Shippo secure?"

"He's in the kennels." Tsume replied, "I'll post a couple of guards to make sure he stays there."

"Good. Let's go." Inoichi said as he led the way out of the compound.

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

**Warning! Lime Scene Bellow!**

**Timeskip - The Next Day, 06:00 am**

**Naruko's Room, New Uzumaki Clan Compound, Clan Residential District**

Mitarashi Anko had taken many lovers since attaining her hitai-ate, both male and female, but this was one of the very few times that she had woken up next to one.

She propped herself up on an elbow, heedless of her nudity, and gazed upon her newest lover with speculation in her eyes. Naruko was still exhausted from her amatory adventures yesterday and last night, so was in a deep sleep.

After their initial 'training session', the two had slept for a couple of hours before recommencing with undisguised enthusiasm. During that time, Anko had been impressed with both Naruko's ability to learn and her stamina.

Seriously, the girl could out screw a dozen other genin.

At the same time.

Something else that Anko had discovered was that Naruko, while being a switch, preferred to be in control of sex when at all possible. Not really a big surprise, given that she had not had much say over what happened in her life up until this point.

Deciding that her paramour had slept enough for the moment, Anko began prodding and poking Naruko, who grumbled and flinched away from the prodding.

Grinning wickedly, Anko prodded the girl in her most precious place.

"Ahn!" Naruko shot awake with a moan. The Uzumaki Heiress twisted her head to look at Anko out of the corner of her eye.

"Anko-sensei, did you _have_ to wake me up like that?" the girl complained as Anko withdrew the finger and sucked on it seductively.

"Why, not up for another round, Naru-chan?" Anko teased her lover with a slow smile.

Naruko's face lit up like a tomato. "G-Geez! Are you insatiable or something Anko-sensei?"

"Meh, it's not often I have a nubile little thing like you, with stamina that surpasses mine _and_ is an eager pupil to boot." Anko replied as she reached forward and kissed Naruko's neck, making the blond mew in pleasure.

"Wh-What about jutsu training? You said we'd do some today!" Naruko panted out while Anko's skilled hands wandered over her body.

Anko considered this. She had said that she would teach her a couple of jutsu today, both regular jutsu and Injutsu, but she still wanted to play some more before Kurenai and Naruko's teammates returned.

"Okay then, Naru-chan." Anko agreed reluctantly, "Breakfast, Jutsu training, Injutsu training, then back to bed for some fun. Sound like a plan?"

"Yeeeeessss!" Naruko moaned out as Anko's hands, apparently on autopilot, had been massaging her breasts to the point that she came.

"Ah, that never gets old." Anko grinned at the panting girl. As it turned out, Naruko's breasts were very sensitive and Anko had made the girl beg for more after a thirty-minute massaging fest.

"Sadist!" Naruko gasped out.

"And proud of it!" Anko replied with a grin as she got out of bed and sashayed over to the shower, "Join me?" Anko invited.

A blushing Naruko joined her in a flash.

**Lime Scene over!**

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

**Timeskip - Three Hours Later**

**Interrogation Room 3, ANBU T&I Division Headquarters, Secret Location**

Yamanaka Haruo had clearly seen better days. He was strapped to a cross, naked from the waist up and his body was covered in scars, the result of bare minimum healing after his interrogation session with Mitarashi Anko.

The room was bare of all other furniture and was a stark white colour that was slightly painful to look at even in the dim lighting that was available in the room.

Haruo looked up as the door to the room opened with an ominous creak, one Haruo was convinced was deliberately induced to add to the mystique of the room and make the occupants fears grow. Not that realising what the trick was enabled Haruo to be unaffected by it.

Through the door stepped Morino Ibiki, Head of ANBU T&I and one of the most feared men in all of Konoha, swiftly followed by Yamanaka Inoichi, joint-second in command of ANBU T&I with Mitarashi Anko and his Clan head.

Haruo squashed whatever fear managed to squirm its way to the surface and awaited whatever it was that brought the men to visit him.

"Haruo, formally of the Yamanaka Clan," Ibiki said slowly, in his deep gravely voice, "It has been brought to the attention of Inoichi and myself that you may have used a Kinjutsu on the mind of Inuzuka Kiba, Clan Heir of the Inuzuka Clan. I will give you one chance to voluntarily surrender the information. Should you refuse…"

The cruel, sadistic smile that blossomed across the man's face made the alternative quite clear to Haruo, who let out a dry laugh.

"I'm being sent to the kami-forsaken _Blood Prison_ soon." he rasped out, "Why would I willingly let you add more time to my sentence?"

Ibiki's sinister smile grew wider, if that was at all possible. "I was hoping that you'd say something like that." the Head of T&I said, somewhat happily, "I'll have you spilling your guts in ten minutes, tops. Best part for you? All the damage will be mental, not physical. No need to clean up any pesky bloodstains or have to worry about you bleeding out.

Anko and I argue about this all the time, physical pain versus mental torment, and this will be interesting to note that it took Anko just under twelve minutes to fully break you. She'll owe me a drink if I can get you to break faster than that."

Haruo began to sweat as Ibiki walked closer to him. "So then…" Ibiki said, "Shall we begin?"

**Nine Minutes, Twenty-Seven Second Later…**

"Alright! I'm tell you! Just stop already!" Haruo howled as he thrashed around wildly on the cross, desperately trying to free himself.

Ibiki gave a small smile of satisfaction as he turned off the speakers that were booming out a high-pitched wailing noise. One that was enhanced by the genjutsu he had placed on Haruo. _**Genjutsu: Oto **__**Zōfuku no Jutsu (Illusion: Sound Amplification Jutsu)**_ made the target's hearing as sensitive as an Inuzuka's. Haruo, being a jonin, already had sharp senses, so adding the genjutsu on top of that made it unbearable. This was after Ibiki told him what would happen to him after he passed the ten-minute limit.

"Now spill. What Kinjutsu did you use on Inuzuka Kiba?" Ibiki demanded softly.

"_**Y-Yamanaka Kinjutsu: **__**Saihen o Ki no Jutsu (Yamanaka Forbidden Jutsu: Mind Restructuring Jutsu)**_." Haruo gasped out, "As well as repeated uses of _**Yamanaka Ninpo: Ikari Sōsa no Jutsu (Yamanaka Ninja Art: Anger Manipulation Jutsu)**_ and _**Yamanaka Ninpo: Uma Mekakushi no Jutsu (Yamanaka Ninja Art: Horse Blinders Jutsu)**_."

Inoichi cursed. That was one of the worst Kinjutsu in the Shadow Archive, allowing the user to alter all but the deepest held convictions of the target as they pleased. A boy such as Kiba didn't _have_ that many strong convictions, so Haruo had pretty much had free rein to do as he pleased in his mind.

The other two jutsu were commonly used in manipulating targets into becoming angry at specific things or people and straight lined their thinking respectively, so they were easily reversed. The Kinjutsu though, would be harder.

"When did you do this to him?" Inoichi ground out.

"Six years ago. It was Shippo's price for joining up with us." Haruo told his former Clan Head wearily.

"Precisely what did you do to him? Give me every detail." Inoichi ordered harshly.

"I made him aggressive and contempt of kunoichi and tried to focus that on the demon bitch." Haruo replied, "He is also much easier to manipulate and less trusting of those around him. I also implanted the desire to dominate woman in his mind, so any member of his Clan that he marries will be broken to his will."

Inoichi regarded his former clansman with contempt. "You're a real piece of work, you know that?" he said disgustedly, "OK then. Did you place any mental traps or suicide jutsu in Kiba's mind?"

"Several standard mental traps, but no suicide jutsu." Haruo said resignedly.

"He's lying." Ibiki said casually, making Haruo glare half-heartedly at him.

"The truth. Now." Inoichi's face was implacable.

Haruo sagged in his bonds. "A _**Shinkei Dōmyaku Kobu Fūjin (Neural Aneurism Death Seal)**_ is set to activate if the two lesser jutsu are released before the greater one is countered." he said bitterly, "In addition, if there is any delay greater than five minutes between releasing the first jutsu and releasing the second, the Fūjin will activate."

Inoichi shook his head in amazement. Death Seals were an immensely difficult thing to construct in a persons mind, far more so than if it was being written on a person's body with chakra-infused ink. That Haruo actually had the skill to create one was amazing…and a pity.

"You are a fool, Haruo." Inoichi told him, "You could have used your skills for the betterment of Konoha. Instead, you're forcing Konoha to squander it by sending you to Hōzuki-jō, because of a ridiculous and pointless vendetta. Such a waste."

With that, Inoichi swept out of the room, leaving Haruo feeling more insignificant than he had felt in years.

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

**Timeskip - 1 Hour Later**

**Grounds, New Uzumaki Clan Compound, Clan Residential District**

"_**Katon: Endan!**_" a hundred voices said at one. The line of Naruko-clones unleashed a fireball at their targets, a hundred clones _**henge'd**_ into Mizuki.

Anko and the original Naruko, standing to one side and observing her clones work, grinned as about half of the Mizuki's disappeared. Unfortunately, that also meant that about half of the Naruko-clones disappeared as well, due to incorrectly using the Jutsu somehow.

"Alright, dispel in small groups!" Naruko ordered her clone army. As they dispelled, she turned and grinned up at Anko.

"Now this is how to train!" she beamed up at her sensei.

"Yep" Anko agreed, "No risk of being hit by the backlash of your own jutsu, just the memories of it. AND by using the _**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_ like this, you're gradually getting better at commanding your clones. Gotta ask though: why'd you want to learn a Katon jutsu? It's not one of your elements."

Naruko shrugged. "Ji-chan's proof that with enough hard work, a person can master elements that they weren't born with. Besides, I have so much chakra that I don't have to worry about using it all up too fast like most genin or chunin has to worry about. Plus, having a couple of wildcard jutsu is perfect for keeping any enemies off guard about my skills."

Anko regarded her student with an appraising look in her eyes. "Surprisingly well thought out there, brat." she noted.

"It occurred to me after Haruo-teme almost barbecued me." Naruko replied as the last of her clones dispersed themselves, "I'm planning on learning a Doton jutsu as well. Maybe a Raiton as well."

"First things first, try to use _**Endan**_ without blowing yourself up." Anko directed her.

"Hai, sensei." replied Naruko as she created another shadow clone that ran opposite her and henge'd into Mizuki.

Anko sweatdropped somewhat. '_Gaki really has a grudge against the silver haired bastard._' she noted with a mental shrug. She couldn't really complain, what with her vendetta against her traitorous sensei.

Naruko ran through the six handsigns for the jutsu and said, "_**Katon: Endan**_!"

A fireball erupted from her mouth and smashed into the Mizuki-clone, dispelling it.

"Nicely done brat." Anko grinned, "Now do it nine more times and we'll say you've completed it satisfactorily…for now."

Grumbling, Naruko made nine more shadow clones, which transformed into Mizuki, and proceeded to hit each of them with a full-powered _**Endan**_ each.

"Not bad, brat." Anko said appreciatively, "It ain't perfect, but that'll come with time. Congrats, you pass."

Naruko grinned. "What's next?"

"Hmm…how about a Doton?" Asked Anko. She made the tiger handsign.

"_**Doton: **__**Doryū Taiga no Jutsu (Earth Style: Earth Flow River Jutsu)**_" she commanded. Immediately, the ground beneath Naruko turned to mud and erupted into a muddy river, pushing the younger kunoichi away with a surprised yelp.

After Anko ended the technique and Naruko made her way back to her, giving her sensei the stink-eye as she did, the Snake Mistress gave her a rundown of the technique.

"_**Doryū Taiga **_may be a fairly weak offensive jutsu, but it is a useful one." she told her pupil, "Not only does it leave the target off balance and move them away form you, the mud can also be used as a base for other Doton ninjutsu. And it only requires a single handsign to use."

"Umm…can you fix my lawn?" Naruko pointed at the mess left by Anko's _**Doryū Taiga**_.

"Sure. _**Doton: **__**Kansō-chi no Jutsu (Earth Style: Dry Earth Jutsu)**_." Anko said and stamped on the ground. The long track of mud melted back into the ground beneath it and hardened back to its original density.

"You didn't use any handsigns for that jutsu!" Naruko exclaimed.

"For simple jutsu that require only a single handsign, it's relatively easy to master it to the point of not needing a handsign" Anko shrugged indolently.

"Huh." Naruko nodded, mentally comparing it to her mastering _**Suiton:**_ _**Teppōdama**_ to the same point, "Fair point, but we're going to a training ground to learn Doton jutsu. I don't want to have to fix my own compounds grounds every day."

"Hmm. Good point, brat. There's a training ground that is mostly bare earth, Training Ground 34." Anko said with a thoughtful frown, "Nobody really uses it nowadays, so it'll be perfect to learn this jutsu in."

"Let's go then-dattebayo!" Naruko yelled enthusiastically as she legged it towards the gate. Anko followed her, grinning at the blond's antics.

'_It's like having a mini-me!_' she thought fondly.

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

**Two Hours Later**

**Yamanaka Clan Mind Delving Room, Yamanaka Clan Compound, Clan Residential District**

"He did WHAT to my pup?" Tsume snarled, seething at what Inoichi told her Haruo did to her son.

"I know, I know, I'm not happy either." Inoichi replied, holding his hands up defensively, "I can and will undo what has been done to him. Unfortunately, there will be lingering effects."

"Such as?" Tsume demanded, worry tingeing her voice.

"He'll still be the same afterwards, so you'll need to train him to not be misogynistic jerk. I will remove the more…distasteful urges from him and make him open to change, but essentially, you'll have to knock him into shape." Inoichi clarified.

"I was planning on doing that anyway." Tsume snorted, "Why's Kiba strapped to the table?"

Indeed, Kiba was secured rather firmly to the table in the centre of the room. His ankles and wrists were bound by thick leather cuffs and a strap across his forehead kept his head facing upwards rather than lolling to one side, for the Inuzuka Heir had been sedated before being brought in.

"A fair few of the mental traps that the Yamanaka Clan use involve controlling the body to attack someone." Inoichi explained, "Sort of like an in-built _**Shintenshin no Jutsu**_. Those straps are inscribed with powerful reinforcement seals made by the Yondaime Hokage himself, so Kiba stands no chance of breaking free. Rather, he's going to damage himself trying to break free if one of those traps is sprung, which is why I asked Hana to be here, as she is a qualified Med-nin."

Hana had been glaring at the wall ever since Inoichi's explanation of what Haruo had done to Kiba. Now she looked up, her face dark with anger. "Shippo dies for orchestrating this." she said flatly.

"Hana-" Tsume starts to say, before she's cut off by her daughter.

"HE DIES!" Hana snarled.

"The Hokage is _very_ firm that no-one dies here." Inoichi remarked, "Perhaps sending him to the Blood prison would be a good idea?"

The two Inuzuka women considered it for a moment before saying, in unison, "Arrange it."

"I'll tell Hokage-sama of the change in punishment after I deal with Kiba." Inoichi assured the two women.

"Well, get it over with already!" Hana snapped, "I want to start kicking my otouto (little brother) back into shape!"

Inoichi chuckled. "Just wait until the support machines come online."

"Huh?" Hana said as she looked around the room. It was of medium size, and had a conical ceiling. Just as she was gazing at Kiba for a moment, a device rose smoothly out of the floor and settled over the young ninja's body, leaving only his head exposed.

"What the hell is that thing?" The vet asked Inoichi.

"The support machines." Inoichi replied, "They enhance the abilities of someone using mind delving techniques and allow other people to channel chakra in to maintain the jutsu while I use my own chakra to fix Kiba's mind up."

"Oh." Hana looked at the contraption for a moment, "It looks like a sarcophagus."

"Eh, unfortunate similarity." Inoichi shrugged as he walked over and stood over Kiba's exposed head and ran through a long sequence of hand signs before placing his hand on the brown-haired head before him.

"Let's get this show on the road!" he declared, "_**Yamanaka Ichizoku Ninpo: **__**Dokushinjutsu! (Yamanaka Clan Ninja Art: Mind Reading Jutsu!)**_"

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

**Kiba's Mindscape**

Inoichi looked around. Rather unsurprisingly, Kiba's mindscape was the Inuzuka Clan Compound, empty of both people and dogs, which was slightly eerie.

'_Alright. Have to find the_ _**Saihen o Ki no Jutsu **__nexus first._' Inoichi thought and took a step forward. Immediately, the mindscape became filled with mist.

"_**Ninpo: **__**Kumori Nentō no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Cloudy Mind Jutsu)**_?" Inoichi asked, baffled. That was the very first mind trap jutsu taught to chunin level Yamanaka Clansmen. Nobody used it as an actual mental defence anymore.

Shrugging, he dispelled the jutsu, only to find himself atop the Hokage Monument.

"This time it's _**Ninpo: Ten-za o Ki no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Mind Translocation Jutsu)**_?" Inoichi remarked, "Better, but still not up to scratch." All that did was move the intruder from the central mental construct to an outlying area of the mindscape.

He made a few handsigns and used the same jutsu to propel himself back into the mental construct of the Inuzuka Compound. Inoichi frowned. These defences were, by all standards, pathetic. Any _rookie_ Yamanaka chunin could set those two jutsu up.

'_There again, Haruo was only promoted to jonin four years ago and this alteration was performed _six_ years ago, so it's not a stretch to presume that he didn't know any more advanced mental defences than the standard Chunin-rank ones. Better tread carefully, just to be safe._' Inoichi decided.

The Clan Head of the Yamanaka Clan dispelled the second trap jutsu and then used a jutsu known only to the senior members of the Yamanaka Clan that deactivated and destroyed any jutsu that used the host-mind's body to attack the intruder's real body.

The sound of two noises similar to glass shattering, signalling the destruction of two jutsu of the targeted criteria, made Inoichi smile. Then the sound of a lot of rapidly approaching paws reached his ear, coming from his left.

Turning his head, he saw a large pack of ninken approaching him. "Ah, _**Ninpo: Kokoro Hogo-sha **__**Sōzō no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Mind Guardian Creation Jutsu)**_. I was wondering what the last card he played would be. The borderline-jonin jutsu that uses imagery from the host's mind to assail and expunge the intruder. Very well played. Any _average_ member of the Yamanaka Clan would be low on chakra and overwhelmed at this point."

Swiftly forming seals, he banished the pack from existence. "Sadly for Haruo, I am _not_ an average Clan member." he said firmly, "Now, where is that pesky nexus…"

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

**At the Same Time**

**Training Ground 38, Konoha Outskirts**

Anko watched as her student and her clones practiced _**Doton: **__**Doryū Taiga**_ with some success, along with _**Doton: **__**Kansō-chi**_. All in all, Naruko had three hundred Shadow Clones working on the two jutsu: one hundred as targets for _**Doryū Taiga**_, one hundred actually using _**Doryū Taiga**_ and a hundred drying up the earth afterwards with _**Kansō-chi**_.

It was an efficient was of practicing the two jutsu and Anko gave herself a pat on the back for thinking of it.

'_Still, It's odd that she asked to learn a supplementary jutsu, rather than an attack or defence jutsu._' Anko mused, '_Meh, whatever. She wants to be Hokage after all, so every Jutsu she learns is another one for the required 1000 jutsu a Hokage has to master._'

"Alright brat, that's enough training on this for today." She called out.

Naruko looked around at her. "But I haven't got it down yet!"

"Brat, it's a Doton, you are a Futon/Suiton element." Anko told her firmly, "Just like how Hinata has problems with her _**Juken**_, you are going to find Doton troublesome to learn, same with Raiton. Besides, you've just completed the best part of a weeks training with those two jutsu as it is. Dispel your clones so we can head back."

Begrudgingly, Naruko complied. After the last clones dispelled, the Uzumaki Heiress trotted over to Anko.

"Oh! Anko-sensei, we've got to go to Tenten-san's shop and pick up my new clothes!" she blurted out.

"So we do." Anko nodded, "Tomorrow."

"Eh?"

"It's tomorrow that we have to pick up the clothes." Anko reminded the excitable girl patiently.

"Oh. Well, I guess we should do a bit of food shopping and head back home than." Naruko said.

"Yup. And when we're there, you can tell me all about that gauntlet of yours." Anko replied conversationally.

Naruko stopped and looked at her sensei. "Oh?"

"Uh-huh. 'Nai-chan was telling me it helps you with dispelling genjutsu." Anko replied, "And since you never take it off, even when doing the nasty, it must require constant contact to do that."

"Pretty much." Naruko admitted.

"Now why'd you keep such a secret from me and 'Nai-chan?" Anko actually pouted at her.

Naruko sweatdropped at the sight of a pouting Tokubetsu Jonin. "All ninja have their secrets, Anko-sensei." she replied uncomfortably.

"True, but how are 'Nai-chan and I supposed to teach you if you hold information on your abilities back from us?" Anko riposted, "You do need to keep secrets from people, but _not_ from your team. _Especially_ not from your senseis."

"Sorry." Naruko replied, chastised.

"Meh, no bother." Anko shrugged, "Fill me in when we get back to the Compound and we'll call it quits."

"OK." Naruko replied as the two kunoichi walked out of the training ground.

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

**Timeskip - An Hour Later**

**Inuzuka Kiba's Mindscape**

Inoichi grunted with effort as he tore apart the last of the mind-altering jutsus that affected Kiba's mind. They had been concealed adequately enough. The _**Saihen o Ki no Jutsu **_had been concealed under Kiba's bed, the _**Ikari Sōsa no Jutsu **_had been at the bottom of the manure pile (and he was going to have _words_ with Haruo about that) and the last one, which he had just destroyed, the _**Uma Mekakushi no Jutsu**_, had been in the dining room of all places.

'_Now, to find and deal with that death seal._' Inoichi thought grimly as he stalked around the mental world he was in, in search of his target. He _had_ to remove it, otherwise there was a chance it could be remotely activated by a confederate of Haruo's that they had missed.

The Yamanaka Clan Head entered the training area of the Compound and immediately espied the target of his search. The seal covered the centre of the field like a grotesque swollen tumour. It was a sickly black/green colour and seemed to pulse with its own life.

Very, very carefully, Inoichi examined the seal. It was a very powerful one and had lost its anchoring Jutsus, so it was volatile. Any hasty move on his part could set it off, doing who knows what kind of damage to the boy's brain.

'_Hmm. It's well applied._' Inoichi noted clinically, '_The matrix is solid enough that even without the three jutsu it was linked and anchored to, it is still stable enough not to activate without a push of some sort. Now how to get rid of it…?_'

Inoichi had looked up the details of the _**Shinkei Dōmyaku Kobu Fūjin**_ before meeting with Tsume and Hana. The seal was elegant in its simplicity, causing the host's brain to suffer a fatal aneurysm within a few hours of activation. It was a tricky seal to place and an even trickier prospect to remove, as you had only one chance to do both.

Inoichi ran through the handsign sequence that temporarily rendered the seal useless and activated it. The Seal froze and drew into itself, shrinking from the size of a horse and cart to that of a regular dog in seconds.

Running forwards, Inoichi caused a mental projection of a katana to appear in his hand. Reaching the shivering seal, he stabbed his blade into the centre of it and forced all of his remaining chakra through the sword and into the seal.

"_**Shinkei Dōmyaku Kobu Fūjin: Jibaku! (Neural Aneurism Death Seal: Destruct!)**_" he shouted. There was no way to safely release the death seal; it _had_ to be destroyed while it was inert, it was the only way to fully excise the seal from a host.

The seal unleashed a shriek of pain and attempted to expand again, but Inoichi was having none of it; he spread his chakra throughout the entire seal and forced it to obey the command he had just issued to it: die.

With a final hideous wail, the seal dissolved into nothing, along with the phantasmal katana Inoichi had created to destroy it. Staggering slightly, Inoichi gasped for breath. That had been one of the _strongest_ seals he had ever had to remove from a persons mind, and he knew that the _**Shinkei Dōmyaku Kobu Fūjin **_was _nothing_ compared to one of the Uzumaki Clan's seals.

'_Kushina would be laughing at me right now and saying something like, "What? You mean _that_ pathetic thing tired you out? Looks like you need to start picking up your training-'ttbane!"_' Inoichi thought whimsically as he recovered from his exertion.

Straightening up, Inoichi ran through several detection jutsu, including one that only the Head of the Yamanaka Clan had access to, in order to confirm he had cleared Kiba's mind of all seals.

Breathing a sigh of relief once all the results came back negative, Inoichi formed one last handsign.

"_**Kai!**_" He commanded, and left Kiba's mind.

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

**Real World**

Tsume and Hana started as Inoichi removed his hand from Kiba's head and fell on his ass, panting and gasping as if he had run a ninja-sized marathon. He reached into his pocket and shakily drew out a food pill, which he crunched and swallowed as fast as he could.

"Inoichi?" Tsume knelt by her friend in concern.

"Th-That seal…was the most…" Inoichi rasped out, "…difficult removal…I have ever had...to do."

Hana was running a diagnostic jutsu over him as he spoke and her eyes widened. "You almost ran out of chakra! Eat another food pill now!" she ordered.

Chuckling hoarsely, Inoichi obeyed. Hana's expression relaxed somewhat once the second food pill started working its magic on his chakra levels.

"You cut it too close, Inoichi-san." the med-nin admonished him.

"Didn't have any choice." Inoichi replied hoarsely, "I only had one chance to remove the Death Seal on Kiba, so I had to risk it. He's clean now, so everything turned out alright in the end."

As he spoke, the device covering Kiba's body whirred softly as it retracted into the floor again.

"I think it's time for Kiba-san to wake up now and reap what he has sown." Inoichi observed with a small smile.

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

**Kiba's Perspective.**

Pain. Intense pain. Kiba reluctantly swam into painful consciousness and wished he could return to blessed, _painless_ unconsciousness. His head felt like a blacksmiths' anvil and his mouth was dry as a desert at midday.

He let out a groan and tried to open and eye. Pain.

Okay, leave the eyes alone for now.

"Pup, can you hear me?" a familiar voice asked from nearby.

"K-Kaa-san?" Kiba rasped out.

"How do you feel?" she asked.

"Like someone just used my head to make Mochi." Kiba replied with a wince.

"Makes sense, considering you just had a Yamanaka in your head." another voice quipped from the same direction as his mothers.

"Nee-san?"

"Yup. And boy, are you in trouble, little brother." Hana's voice said darkly.

Daring to try to open an eye as a test, Kiba peered in the direction of his mother and sisters voices. A pair of scowling faces made him wish that he hadn't.

"Oh crap…" Kiba muttered. He would have tried to run for it, but he was secured to the

Over the next ten minutes, Kiba was lambasted by the synchronised pair of Inuzuka women. His intelligence, integrity, manhood and basic common sense were called into question. At the end of the rant, he was issued with a proclamation from his Alpha mother.

"You will be moving back into the Inuzuka Compound, pup, so that you can be retrained from the bottom up!" Tsume told Kiba, who went white.

"R-R-R-R-Retraining?" he squeaked out.

"Ah? Oh, no, not Retraining." Tsume reassured her son, "But we will be training you in the basic jutsu and fighting styles of the Inuzuka Clan from the bottom up, as well as stomping out your ridiculous notions that kunoichi are inferior to ninja in any way, shape or form. Understood?"

"Hai, Kaa-san." Kiba said dejectedly. He had a feeling that while this wasn't actual retraining, it was going to be just as humiliating but in a different way.

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

**Same Time**

**Training Room, New Uzumaki Clan Compound, Clan Residential District**

"Now that's something you don't see every day." Anko said admiringly as Naruko's Shadow Clone slowly and firmly fed the katana she had bought from Tenten's shop into En'ō Kago-te's open maw.

She had been sceptical when Naruko had told her about her gauntlet's transformation ability, but she had been made a believer when Naruko demonstrated it by using her _**Buki Henge: Kongō**__**bō Jutsu (Weapon Transformation: Adamantine Staff Jutsu)**_.

"Yeah, though when I first put it on, it nearly gave me chakra exhaustion." Naruko replied, "Thankfully, that was a one-time thing. Now, when I pass on, anyone can wear it as long as they have jonin-level chakra."

"Wait, so it _can't_ come off?" Anko asked.

"Unless I use a _**Buki Henge**_, yes." Naruko said as the last of the katana was swallowed by the gauntlet with a {POP}. The mouth retracted and the rotating plates on En'ō Kago-te started to rotate with speed until it stopped at the blank plate next to the bō plate and the kanji '刀' (Katana) appeared on it.

"Taking the new form for a test drive?" Anko asked.

"Sure." Naruko said and made the monkey handsign, "_**En'ō Kago-te: Buki Henge: Kongōgatana! (Gauntlet of the Monkey King: Weapon Transformation: Adamantine Katana!)**_"

In a puff of smoke, the gauntlet transformed into a black bladed Katana, with a bronze Tsuba and Tsuka with snarling monkey heads engraved into those locations.

"Wow." Anko had to admit that that was one dangerous looking sword.

"Let's try it out." Naruko said thoughtfully, "Enma-sama said that adamantine is called 'the metal that cuts, but cannot _be_ cut'."

The blond Kunoichi walked over and performed a basic shoulder-to-opposite-waist kesa-giri (Monk's Robe Cut) on the nearest training dummy. The wood and straw contraption was split in twain and the upper half slid off of the lower half to land on the floor with an audible thud.

"I barely even put any strength behind that cut." Naruko said, amazed.

"Let's try cutting _it_ then." Anko said as she drew a kunai and charged at Naruko, who eep'd in surprise and raised the Kongōgatana to block the incoming cut.

{CHING!}

Both kunoichi were stunned to see the kunai, made from good quality steel, bend like a soft banana when it was forced to try and cut the adamantine blade.

"Wow." Anko repeated, "That is some _dense_ metal."

Naruko nodded silently before making a half-tiger handsign. "_**En'ō Kago-te: Buki Henge: Kai!**_" she commanded, reverting the sword to its original form in another puff of smoke.

"So, you can add another...ten weapons to the gauntlet?" Anko asked, "Any ideas what the next is going to be?"

"An Fūma Shuriken." Naruko said at once, "Although, I'm not sure about whether to get a solid type, like the ones Mizuki-teme used, or a collapsible type."

Anko frowned. "You said that the quality of the initial weapon affects the quality of the finished adamantine weapon, correct?" she asked.

"That's what Enki-san said." Naruko confirmed.

"Go with a solid type then." Anko advised, "The collapsible ones are generally throwaway average quality things."

"Right." Naruko nodded.

Just then, the door opened and an exhausted Kurenai walked in. Looking at Naruko and Anko, the Genjutsu Mistress gave them a small wave and asked, "Do you mind if I borrow a bed? I just found out that my apartment has been flooded."

Naruko nodded. "The second room on the left is yours, Kurenai-sensei." she told her teacher.

"Thanks Naruko-chan." Kurenai replied thankfully and trotted off to her room.

"Damn." Anko muttered, "Now we'll not get any more fun in until next week!"

Naruko shook her head and, standing up on her tiptoes, kissed her sensei on the cheek.

"Don't worry sensei. I bought you some dango, so you can relax while you eat those." she told a surprised Anko.

"Cheeky brat." Anko grumbled as she did an unusual thing for her and blushed.

Naruko merely grinned in response.

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

**Next Chapter: The Trial of Team 7**

**Author's Note: I didn't exactly punish Kiba here -his mother did, ha!**

**No, seriously, this is ****not**** a Kiba-bashing fic. A slight Sas-uke bashing fic (Very slight), and definitely a slight Kakashi bashing fic, but not Kiba. He thinks with his crotch, is hotheaded and impulsive, but likable for all that.**

**Kiba is getting punished - by having to relearn every single clan jutsu he has been taught and getting smacked about whenever he spouts off anti-kunoichi rubbish, swiftly followed by a lecture on ****exactly**** how wrong he is.**

**See you next week!**

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

**Jutsu Lexicon**

**Any Jutsu with its name Emboldened is one that I have made.**

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

**Genjutsu: Oto ****Zōfuku no Jutsu - Illusion: Sound Amplification Jutsu**

Rank: High-C

Type: _Genjutsu, Supplementary_

Effect: _A Jutsu developed in an attempt to mimic the enhanced hearing of the Inuzuka Clan, the end result was less than satisfactory due to the overload of sound that the target receives as a result. Put bluntly, this genjutsu was far too effective. Abandoned by the Tracking Corps, this jutsu was later chosen by Morino Ibiki as an effective tool of breaking shinobi via sensory overload._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

**Yamanaka Kinjutsu: ****Saihen o Ki no Jutsu - Yamanaka Forbidden Jutsu: Mind Restructuring Jutsu**

Rank: A

Type: _Kinjutsu, Yamanaka Clan Jutsu, Ninjutsu, Supplementary_

Effect: _A forbidden technique, this jutsu allows the user to freely manipulate the target's mind after entering it with the Shintenshin no Jutsu. The only things that cannot be altered are a persons deeply held convictions as the human mind automatically protects such convictions._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

**Yamanaka Ninpo: Ikari Sōsa no Jutsu - Yamanaka Ninja Art: Anger Manipulation Jutsu**

Rank: C

Type: _Yamanaka Clan Jutsu, Ninjutsu, Supplementary_

Effect: _A basic Yamanaka Clan Mind Manipulation Jutsu that can be embedded into the mind of a target after the user enters it with Shintenshin no Jutsu. It forces the target to become angry at any trigger the user sets, be it words, people, food or anything else. Advanced users can even make multiple targets per jutsu._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

**Yamanaka Ninpo: Uma Mekakushi no Jutsu - Yamanaka Ninja Art: Horse Blinders Jutsu**

Rank: High-C

Type: _Yamanaka Clan Jutsu, Ninjutsu, Supplementary_

Effect: _A basic Yamanaka Clan Mind Manipulation Jutsu that can be embedded into the mind of a target after the user enters it via Shintenshin no Jutsu. This Jutsu makes it incredibly difficult for a target to think of anything but the here and now. The longer this jutsu is in place the more straight-lined the target's thoughts become._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

**Shinkei Dōmyaku Kobu Fūjin - Neural Aneurism Death Seal**

Rank: A

Type: _Fūinjutsu, Yamanaka Clan Jutsu, Supplementary_

Effect: _A seal created by the Yamanaka Clan to assassinate people and not leave a trace behind. By entering the target's mind via Shintenshin no Jutsu, the user can emplace the seal in the target's mindscape, set to activate automatically after a certain period of time or via remote activation or as a trap. After it is activated, it causes the target to have an artificially induced aneurism, killing or gravely wounding the target._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

Doton: Doryū Taiga no Jutsu - Earth Style: Earth Flow River Jutsu

Rank: C

Type: _Ninjutsu, Offensive_

Effect: _The user transforms the ground beneath the target into a river of mud, moving them away from the user and upsetting their balance. Can be used as a base for other jutsu._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

**Doton: ****Kansō-chi no Jutsu - Earth Style: Dry Earth Jutsu**

Rank: C

Type: _Ninjutsu, Supplementary_

Effect: _The user manipulates the surrounding earth into absorbing mud and then increases the density of the soil so the surface is dry and the water within the absorbed mud is evenly distributed throughout the area._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

Yamanaka Ichizoku Ninpo: Dokushinjutsu - Yamanaka Clan Ninja Art: Mind Reading Jutsu

Rank: A

Type: _Ninjutsu, Supplementary, Yamanaka Clan Jutsu_

Effect: _Using a Mind Reading Amplification Device, the user places a hand on the target's head and enters their mind without leaving their body. Depending on the users skill and experience, they could flick through days worth of memories in a matter of seconds or have to go through each memory individually before moving on to the next._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

**Ninpo: ****Kumori Nentō no Jutsu - Ninja Art: Cloudy Mind Jutsu**

Rank: C

Type: _Yamanaka Clan Jutsu, Ninjutsu, Supplementary_

Effect: _A Mental Defence Jutsu created by the Yamanaka Clan. This jutsu obscures the surroundings of the mindscape, preventing an intruder from viewing it. The first such technique taught to chunin-rank Yamanaka Clansmen, it is easy to counter and rarely used outside of practice._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

**Ninpo: Ten-za o Ki no Jutsu - Ninja Art: Mind Translocation Jutsu**

Rank: C

Type: _Yamanaka Clan Jutsu, Ninjutsu, Supplementary_

Effect: _A Mental Defence/Movement Jutsu created by the Yamanaka Clan. This jutsu either teleports an intruder in a mindscape from the target location to the outskirts of the mindscape or teleports the user to the desired location in the mindscape._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

**Ninpo: Kokoro Hogo-sha ****Sōzō no Jutsu - Ninja Art: Mind Guardian Creation Jutsu**

Rank: Mid-B

Type: _Yamanaka Clan Jutsu, Offensive, Defensive_

Effect: _A Trap/Mind Defence Jutsu created by the Yamanaka Clan. This jutsu is laid as an emergency countermeasure in case one or more inactivated defence jutsu are destroyed. Upon activation, this jutsu seizes upon an image that the host-consciousness views as being strong and creates a 'Mind Guardian', an avatar that seeks out and attacks the intruder who destroyed the defence jutsus. Can be dispelled with the right counter-jutsu._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

**Shinkei Dōmyaku Kobu Fūjin: Jibaku - Neural Aneurism Death Seal: Destruct**

Rank: A

Type: _Yamanaka Clan Jutsu, __Fūinjutsu, Supplementary_

Effect: _The counter-Jutsu for the __Shinkei Dōmyaku Kobu Fūjin. The user first causes the seal to shrink by using the jutsu that temporarily renders the seal inert, then creates a sword of pure mental energy, stabs it into the centre of the seal and forces a considerable amount of chakra through the blade and into the seal, causing it to disintegrate harmlessly. This can only be attempted once due to a failsafe built into the seal's matrix._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**

**En'ō Kago-te: Buki Henge: Kongōgatana - Gauntlet of the Monkey King: Weapon Transformation: Adamantine Katana**

Rank: C

Type: _Ninjutsu, Bukijutsu, Supplementary_

Effect: _Transforms En'ō Kago-te into a katana made of Adamantine. The blade is at the optimum length and weight for the user to wield it with._

**nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn**


	11. Chapter 11: The Trial of Team 7

**Author's Note: Hey. Here is the latest Chapter.**

**I have a Poll up on my page regarding the fate of one Kin Tsuchi. Should she live or die?**

**If she lives, she has three options: 1) Become Anko's Pet. Meaning she is Anko's Sex slave essentially.**

**2) Becomes a Retainer of the Uzumaki Clan. She swears personal fealty to Naruko and becomes the equivalent of a Major-domo.**

**3) Lives as an ordinary Shinobi of Konoha. A boring choice, but one I thought should be put on the table.**

**Should she have a threesome with Anko and Naruko is she lives? Hm, I think so.**

**Now, in this chapter, I suspect that people will be screaming 'Mary Sue!' at me. Listen here: she is not. She has merely trained harder, for longer, with a sensei who isn't a lazy perverted, self-righteous git. **

**She also will get a reality check in the next Arc. A major one.**

**Enough from me, On with the Fic!**

**Oh, Review as well please.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Kishimoto does.**

"Dattebayo!" -normal speech

'_Dobe_' -Thoughts

'{_Shannaro!}_' -Inner Sakura

"**Ningen****"**-Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Speech

'**Brat****'** -Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Thoughts

"_**Kage Bunshin!**_" -Ninjutsu/Genjutsu/Taijutsu move.

**Chapter 11: The Trial of Team 7**

**Timeskip - A Month Later, 12.00 am**

**Shinobi Memorial Stone, Training Field Seven, Konoha Outskirts**

Hatake Kakashi sighed as he feigned reading his favourite book, Icha-Icha Paradise, as he stood in front of the Memorial Stone. He was not happy about the test that was due to take place later on today.

'_They're only genin!_' Was his main argument that he kept repeating to himself, '_they've only just began their careers as shinobi. There's plenty of time for them to become strong in the future._'

Kakashi knew that becoming powerful when at a young age was more of a curse than a blessing. After all, hadn't he become a jonin at the age of nine? Hadn't he then lost both of his teammates and his sensei?

Even now, he could see Obito's body crushed beneath that boulder and feel his arm, encased by his personal jutsu, the _**Chidori (1000 Birds)**_, pierce Rin's chest like a skewer.

Worst of all was being forced to watch helplessly as his sensei, the Yondaime Hokage, vanish in order to sacrifice both his life, and the future of his newborn daughter, in order to defeat something no mortal should be able to defeat?

No, Kakashi was right about this. He needed to remain Team 7's Jonin-sensei. He shuddered to think what Mitarashi Anko would do to them. Unlike the ignorant villagers, Kakashi had nothing against the woman, in regards to her sensei's defection and abandonment of her that is.

It was her ultra-sadistic, not to mention _scary_, attitude that was the focus of his objections to Anko. The woman wouldn't know restraint if it danced naked in front of her with a tea cosy on its head. She would push the kids too far and quite possibly traumatise them for life.

Kakashi reluctantly closed his book and stowed it in his pouch. It was almost exactly three hours after when he was supposed to meet with his team, so it was time to get going.

Vanishing in a puff of smoke, he appeared on the bridge at the edge of the training ground. Waiting impatiently for him was his genin team. Sasuke was leaning against one of the three training stumps, arms folded across his chest and looking bored. Sakura was reading a scroll that contained a minor genjutsu he had given her the previous day, whilst Kiba was playing with Akamaru.

The same as they had been for the last month.

Kakashi didn't know why Kiba had been moved back to the Inuzuka Compound. When he had asked, the Hokage had merely looked at him pityingly and said that if he had done more than pay lip service to his roll as a sensei, he would know why.

Kakashi mentally shrugged. The Hokage couldn't have it both ways. Either they were fully emancipated ninja who were responsible for their own problems, or they were kids who needed a firm hand.

Kiba and Sakura noticed that he had arrived first.

"YOU'RE LATE!" They roared at him in irritation.

Kakashi eye-smiled at them. "Ah, that's because I had to help an old lady across the road and she insisted on treating me to lunch." he lied.

"THAT'S A LIE AND YOU KNOW IT!" was hurtled at him with such force that he actually winced.

"Maa, maa, calm down." Kakashi said in a pacifying manner, "We have to get going now kids."

"Why Kakashi-sensei? What're we doing?" Sakura asked curiously.

"Please tell me it isn't another lame-ass D-Rank mission." Kiba groused, Akamaru barking in agreement.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted as he shoved his hands in the pockets of his shorts.

"Nope!" Kakashi replied faux-cheerfully, "You three are going to be tested."

Three almost identical deadpan looks came into appearance on his genin's faces.

"""Huh, say what?""" they asked in unison.

"You three are going to be tested." Kakashi repeated, "To be accurate, you will be having a match against a person of the Hokage's choice. You don't have to win, just prove that you have become stronger since graduating from the Academy."

"Are the other teams going to be tested?" asked Sakura suspiciously.

"Will you _look_ at the time?" Kakashi exclaimed, ignoring Sakura's question, "There's only five minutes before the match starts. You'd better get moving."

"Gaah! Damn it all, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura snarled, "Where are we supposed to go?"

"Training Field 8." Kakashi replied.

"THAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF KONOHA, DAMN IT!" Kiba yelled in frustration, "There's no way we'll make it in time!"

"Grab on to each other." Kakashi told them. Giving him an odd look, Sakura grabbed Sasuke's arm and Sasuke reluctantly grabbed Kiba's arm. Akamaru just jumped into Kiba's coat.

"Alright, here we go!" Kakashi said as he grabbed both Sakura and Kiba's shoulders. The three genin and one jonin vanished in a swirl of leaves.

In what seemed like a blur of motion to the three members of Team 7, they appeared in the centre of Training Ground 8. After Kakashi released them, it took them a moment or two to get their bearings.

Sarutobi Hiruzen stood waiting for them, as were Teams 6, 9 and 10. Team 8 was conspicuous by its absence.

"Ah, Kakashi." the Hokage glanced at the silver-haired man reprovingly, "You were almost late."

"Maa, Maa, Hokage-sama, we're here now." Kakashi replied easily, "Ara? Where's the opponent for my team? And why are the other teams here?"

"Yosh! In the spirit of Youth, we were invited to see your students' most Youthful Challenge, Kakashi!" Gai boomed as he made a 'nice guy' pose.

Team 7, who had never seen Guy before, were goggling at the walking fashion hazard. Sakura wanted to throw up at the sight of his unbelievably bushy eyebrows, Sasuke's eye twitched and his hands were itching to form the handsigns for one of his fire style jutsu. Kiba was torn between disgust for the man's outfit and a morbid fascination of why anyone would put up with a man like that for a Jonin-sensei.

"Hmm? Did you say something, Gai?" Kakashi deadpanned, making the spandex-clad man faceplant.

"Curse you Kakashi, and your hip attitude too!" Gai declared dramatically after he was standing once again.

Sarutobi coughed once to attract the attention of the two jonin. "Ahem. Now, Team 8 will arrive in a few moments. I had them pick up a few things in town for me. As to the opponent you will face…" he said with a small smile.

"That would be me." a loud female voice said, seemingly from all around them. Kakashi and Team 7 looked around them for the source, but couldn't see anyone other than Hayate's team, Gai's team and Asuma's team.

A small tornado erupted in the centre of the field near Team 7, making Sakura shriek in surprise. Kakashi narrowed his only visible eye.

'_A __**Kaze Shunshin (Wind Body Flicker)**__?_' he thought in surprise. Most people just used the basic _**Shunshin no Jutsu**_, which used a puff of chakra-smoke to disguise the user's movements. Elemental _**Sunshins**_ were possible, using mist, water, fire, sand and leaves, but this was the first time he had seen _pure wind _used in a _**Shunshin**_.

The tornado abated and cleared, revealing Uzumaki Naruko grinning at them cockily.

"Ready?" she said with a slightly evil grin.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Naruko's Perspective**

"Naruko?" Sakura asked in disbelief, "You are our opponent?"

"And that's so hard to believe because why?" Naruko asked with narrowed eyes.

Because you are the _dobe_, dobe." Sasuke snorted, "I'm insulted that you are considered a worthy test for me."

"Itoko (Cousin), you need to stop being so arrogant." Naruko said flatly.

"I'm not related to you!" Sasuke snarled.

"Yes you are." the Hokage interjected, "The Uchiha, Hyuuga, Senju and Uzumaki are distantly related clans. Very distantly related, but the relation is acknowledged by all of them."

"I'm…related to the _dobe_?!" Sasuke muttered incredulously, "What next?"

"You get your butt kicked by me, that's what!" Naruko said confidently.

"Tch. Yeah right, dobe!" Ami sneered from the sidelines.

"Quiet in the peanut gallery!" Naruko shot back.

"Ami, enough." Hayate remonstrated his student mildly, "Academy scores are meaningless in the real world."

The purple haired girl huffed, but shut up.

"Gaki! What did I tell you about running off ahead of people?" Anko asked irately as she strode into the Training Field proper while carrying a plastic bag. Kurenai, Hinata and Ino soon followed.

"Ehhehehe! Sorry, Anko-chan-sensei." Naruko said with a grin.

"Just call me '-sensei' already!" Anko said as she rolled her eyes, "You can leave the '-chan' off completely!"

"But it suits you so well, Anko-chan-sensei!" Naruko said mischievously.

"Grrr, that does it!" Anko shouted as she put the bag down and leapt at Naruko, "C'mere!"

"Hahahaha! No way!" Naruko responded as she ran off.

The gathered shinobi were treated to the amusing sight of witnessing a Tokubetsu Jonin chasing a genin around like a cat chasing a mouse, with the mouse occasionally teasing and taunting the cat.

Shikamaru took this in and sighed. "Great. Naruko's become even more troublesome in just a month."

Shino adjusted his glasses and said, "I agree. She is quite different than she was. Why you ask? Because she is not wasting any movement as she runs and cavorts across the ground."

"Yosh! Naruko-chan has improved greatly!" Rock Lee expounded.

"Indeed." Neiji reluctantly agreed as he cast the occasional scowl at Hinata.

"Hah!" Ami scoffed, "I could take her easily."

"N-Naruko-chan could beat you and your t-two lackeys with ease!" Hinata said with a mild glare at the former-Queen Bitch of the Academy.

The two 'lackeys' bristled at the comment made by the Hyuuga Heiress, but merely scowled at her in the presence of the Hokage.

Sarutobi sighed as he brought the teams under control. It seems that Ami was in need of being taken down a peg or two as well.

"Now then. I shall outline the rules of the spar." Sarutobi said once the genin settled down, "No weapons are to be used except kunai and shuriken, no jutsu beyond C-Rank is permitted and no-one is to leave the Training Field. The spar will last until either one side gives up, is rendered unable to fight or is knocked unconscious. Killing and deliberate maiming are forbidden. Do both sides acknowledge and agree to these stipulations?"

Naruko shrugged her sword off of her back and held it out to Ino. "Here, Ino-chan. Can you hold my sword for me?" she asked.

"But…this is your mother's sword!" Ino protested.

"It is, and I trust you to look after it." Naruko replied. Ino looked at her friend for a moment before nodding and accepted Naruko's Family Heirloom before standing back.

"I accept the terms." Naruko replied formally.

"Hn. That's fine by me." Sasuke sneered.

Sarutobi ignored him. "ASL of Team 7, do you accept these terms on behalf of your teammates?" He asked Sakura, who was looking at Sasuke nervously.

"Hai, Hokage-sama. I accept the terms." Sakura replied. Sasuke still looked outraged that not only had the Hokage snubbed him in favour of a _civilian_, but also by the fact that said civilian was his immediate superior.

"Very good." Sarutobi chose to ignore Sasuke's building anger…for the moment, "Warm up, then take your positions."

The genin began to limber up with stretches and, in Naruko's case, shadow boxing. The Hokage gestured Kakashi and Kurenai to come over to him.

"Kakashi, what have you taught your genin over the past month?" Sarutobi asked quietly, so Naruko couldn't hear them.

"Kiba has been trained exclusively by his Clan." Kakashi replied lazily, "You would know better than me as to why…I taught Sakura a couple of minor genjutsu and worked on her taijutsu. Her _**Hakage**_ style is now at a reasonable level. Sasuke….I taught him a couple of fire jutsu and corrected the flaws in his _**Bōju Ken (Intercepting Fist)**_ style. Other than that, I gave them some strength and stamina drills."

"…" The Hokage looked at Kakashi for a moment. He _had_ taught his team some things, which was a surprise in and of itself, and true, Kiba had been taught his Clan's taijutsu style, _**Jūjin Taijutsu (Beast-Human Taijutsu)**_, from the ground up, as well as a few of the special taijutsu attacks of the Clan.

However…

"You didn't teach Sakura any offensive ninjutsu?" Sarutobi asked for clarification, "You didn't teach Sasuke any genjutsu?"

"I had a month to teach them what I could, Hokage-sama." Kakashi replied, "The best way to do that was to divide the team into roles. Kiba is the close combat specialist, Sakura is the genjutsu support specialist and Sasuke is the ninjutsu support specialist."

The Sandaime nodded begrudgingly. It was a sensible way to go about it, improving the overall specialisations of the team so they could work as one to defeat their opponent…_if_ the team can work together.

Turning to Kurenai, Sarutobi enquired as to what she had taught Naruko over the past month.

Kurenai smiled proudly. "Naruko has been working furiously to learn as much of the _**Ushio-Ken**_ as she possibly could, and she has now achieved reasonable mastery up to the intermediate forms and she is currently working on the advanced forms.

In regards to genjutsu, Naruko has no skill at genjutsu whatsoever, although she can detect and dispel genjutsu up to, and including, High C-Rank. I have started all three of my genin on the Tree-Climbing Exercise as well and she is progressing at a good pace.

As to ninjutsu, she has mastered an additional Futon and Suiton jutsu, as well as one Doton jutsu, one Katon jutsu and a single Raiton jutsu. She is also working on a second Raiton, but Raiton and Doton are difficult for her to learn, so it could take a while."

Sarutobi beamed proudly at his surrogate granddaughter's achievements. "Well done, Kurenai-san." he told her proudly.

"That's just what **I** taught her." Kurenai replied, "Anko has been giving her lessons on the weekends, although exactly what I do not know. She's been very…_secretive_ about the whole thing."

Sarutobi used his years of experience as a shinobi to resist blushing and unleashing a nosebleed of epic proportions. He knew _precisely_ what Anko and Naruko had been getting up to, because after every session, Anko had dropped off a scroll at his desk with a progress update on the Injutsu training Naruko was receiving.

She was now becoming adept at dominating her partners, after Anko had requested permission to bring two chunin-level kunoichi into the mix, Maehara Rinka and Maehara Ringo. She was also becoming good at Shibari, the combination being a bit too much for the two chunin, who had been broken to Naruko's will as a result and now referred to Naruko as 'Mistress' at all times.

Naruko had apologised for that and had explained that she had taken things too far during a…session. Sarutobi understood that and forgave her, but the upshot was that she had permanently converted two kunoichi of Konoha into her personal pets, unintentionally or not.

That had been…_troublesome_, to quote the Nara, but manageable. They were now officially vassals of the Uzumaki Clan and were the gate guards of the compound, a standing B-Rank mission. The Hokage explained it to Kurenai, Ino and Hinata as extra insurance against an attack by rogue shinobi like Haruo, which had been accepted at face value by the three.

Anko had also taught Naruko some of her _**Hebi Ninpo**_ that could be turned into both Injutsu and combat. She had also taught Naruko _**Doton: Doryū Taiga**_, _**Doton: **__**Kansō-chi**_ and _**Katon: Endan**_, which was phenomenal for a genin, even using the advanced _**Kage Bunshin**_ training that Naruko used.

"I'm sure that Anko has been keeping her teaching to appropriate strictures." Sarutobi said soothingly, "Now, it seems that the four of them are ready. Let's get this underway."

Indeed, Naruko and Sasuke looked as if they might start without permission. The glared that the two were exchanging were giving clear warning of their intentions. The Hokage frowned. This was not a good thing, for there to be such antagonism between two genin, both the last of their clans.

'_The Curse of Hatred of the Uchiha and the Eternal Loyalty of the Uzumaki are at loggerheads._' Sarutobi thought with a sigh.

The Uzumaki had broken off from the Senju hundreds of years ago, long before the Warring Clan Period had begun. While the rest of the world had engaged in a bloodbath, the Uzumaki had contented themselves with the defence of their island home. When asked by both the Uchiha and Senju Clans, one after another, for an alliance, the Uzumaki Clan leaders had refused to aid their distant cousins in slaughtering each other.

In matter of fact, they had offered sanctuary to all those from both clans that didn't wish to fight and kill each other, although just in case, they were kept at opposite sides of Uzu no Kuni and watched very carefully.

The Senju had eventually accepted the refusal of the Uzumaki to ally against the Uchiha, but the Uchiha had been less forgiving. Uchiha Madara himself had ranted at the 'cowardice' of the Uzumaki and had sworn that they would feel his wrath, in this life or the next.

After his death at the hands of Senju Hashirama, the Uzumaki had dismissed Madara's threat of vengeance. Seventy years later, Uzushiogakure lay in ruins, its people put to the sword. Had it not been for the facts that both Madara was long dead and it was a joint attack by three different Hidden Villages, Sarutobi would have sworn that Madara had planned that attack, as it had born all of the hallmarks of his plans: swift, ruthless and heartless.

"Take your positions!" Sarutobi ordered, snapping himself out of his depressing memories. He had lost more than a few friends when Uzu had fallen.

Naruko assumed a stance familiar to her own team, as well as Gai's team, the Araumi stance, and awaited the order to begin.

Sasuke curled his lip derisively as he took a loose ready position; Sakura drew a kunai and took up a support position on his left flank. Kiba and Akamaru took the right flank, ready to rush Naruko from the get go.

Sarutobi raised his hand for a moment then brought his hand down sharply, "Begin!" he commanded.

Immediately, Kiba made the Tiger handsign and said, "_**Gijū Ninpō: Shikyaku no Jutsu! (Beast Mimicry Ninja Art: Four Legs Jutsu!)**_"

Kiba crouched on the ground, chakra surrounding his body and his features becoming more feral; his nails became short claws, his canines lengthened and his pupils became slits.

Sakura launched the kunai in her hand at Naruko, followed by two shuriken, while Sasuke began to run through a familiar handsign sequence.

Naruko merely moved two steps to the side and the thrown weapons missed her and thudded into the ground.

"Tenten-san is better at Shurikenjutsu and thrown weapons than you are Sakura-chan." Naruko said casually, "So you might want to try something else."

On the sidelines, Tenten grinned at the compliment.

"How about this!" Kiba roared as both he and Akamaru charged Naruko from both sides in a pincer manoeuvre. Naruko merely smiled as she leapt into the air, reaching three meters high.

"Like that'll save you!" Kiba shouted as first him, then his ninken leapt into the air after her, his jutsu enhancing his muscles to the point that such a feat was easy for him. Akamaru had been taught to enhance his legs with chakra by his father, Kuromaru.

As her assailants drew close, Naruko grinned. "_**Ushio-Ken: Engetsugeri (Tide-Fist Style: Circle Moon Kick)**_" she called out as she began to rapidly spin.

Unable to stop themselves, Kiba and Akamaru slammed into Naruko's rapidly revolving legs and were kicked at least twice, possibly three times, before using one blow to sail away from her.

Gai beamed proudly. "Yosh! My student's use of the Inuzuka's _**Tsūga**_ has enabled this most youthful technique!" he explained to the watching shinobi.

"Quite." Kakashi winced at his 'rivals' volume, "But why did she name it after one of the lunar phases?"

"She said that it wasn't an uncommon thing to do with the Uzumaki Taijutsu styles." Gai replied, "Indeed, Engetsu (Circle Moon) was the only one that did not have a technique named for it."

Meanwhile, Sasuke finished his jutsu. "_**Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu! (Fire Style: Grand Fireball Jutsu!)**_" He declared as a wide flame erupted from his mouth, rapidly approaching Naruko.

"Naruko-chan!" Ino called worriedly.

The flames engulfed Naruko, making Sakura gasp in horror. No one could get away from that unscathed!

"Teme, do you have something against logs or something?" Naruko's voice came from behind them, making Sasuke cease his jutsu and whirl around in astonishment.

Behind him, a pair of rather charred logs fell to the ground, while before him, Naruko stood unharmed. She wasn't even singed.

"How?!" Sasuke ground out.

Naruko shrugged. "I had logs prepared beforehand that I used the _**Henge no Jutsu (Transformation Jutsu)**_ on to look like me. I sealed them into a special tag that I activated before I _**Kawarimi'd **_with another regular log just before your flames reached me. Simple really." she said with a self-deprecating shrug.

"Let's see you dodge this then!" Kiba shouted, "Let's go Akamaru!" With an 'arf!' the white puppy leapt on his partner's back.

"_**Gijū Ninpō: Jūjin Bunshin no Jutsu! (Beast Imitation Ninja Art: Beast Clone Jutsu!)**_" Kiba growled out, as he and Akamaru became engulfed in chakra smoke. When it dispersed, an identical copy of Kiba knelt on his back.

"So you're going to use _**Gatsūga**_ then?" Naruko asked before grinning, "Well, sorry. It's _my_ turn to bring the fight to **you** now!"

Running through three familiar handsigns, she declared, much to the astonishment of her fellow graduates, "_**Bunshin no Jutsu!**_"

Immediately, the field filled with hundreds of illusory clones of Naruko, crowding the entire field with red-and-yellow-haired copies.

"She actually used the _**Bunshin**_?!" Sakura exclaimed in shock.

"So many…!" Sasuke breathed and internally, he cursed the fact that his Dōjutsu had not yet manifested. The basic _**Bunshin**_ was easily seen through by any dōjutsu that permitted one to see chakra. It also didn't cast a shadow, but with this many clones, that would be rather difficult.

"Trying to hide? We'll flush you out!" Kiba roared as he threw Akamaru a food pill, which was rapidly swallowed, "_**Jūjin Taijutsu Ōgi: Gatsūga! (Man-Beast Taijutsu Ultimate Technique: Fang Over Fang!)**_"

Both he and Akamaru used the _**Tsūga**_ simultaneously, revolving around each other as well, and creating a whirling drill of spinning claws and rending teeth that tore through the insubstantial clones like a hot knife through butter, dispersing two thirds of them in three passes, after which they stopped to catch their bearings for their next attack.

A sudden burst movement caught the eyes of the other two genin of Team 7 as the original Naruko leapt into the air above Kiba and pointed her open palms towards where Kiba and Akamaru had stopped temporarily.

"_**Raiton: Jibashi! (Lightning Style: Earth Flash!)**_" she called as two large streams of lightning erupted from each of her hands and arced towards the Inuzuka pair.

"Crap!" Kiba cursed as he and Akamaru tried to use the _**Tsūga**_ to get away from the incoming attack, but were clipped by the speeding electricity and flew through the air because of the discharge, hitting the ground with a pair of thumps, Akamaru reverting to his original form in a puff of smoke.

Sakura, meanwhile, had started making handsigns as soon as she had spotted Naruko. "_**Magen: **__**Hametsunokyōi no Jutsu! (Demonic Illusion: Portent of Doom Jutsu!)**_" she whispered, quashing the part of her that felt bad for using this _particular_ genjutsu no her friend.

Naruko landed on the ground and stiffened. Tears began to drop from her eyes and the watching shinobi could see her mouthing 'No…not this…no..!' as she slumped to her knees, held up by only her arms.

"Kakashi, is Sakura using the genjutsu I am _thinking_ she is?" Kurenai's voice was ice-cold with fury.

"It is." Kakashi replied warily, "I anticipated my team being tested by one of you or by an ANBU, so I taught Sakura a genjutsu that is particularly harsh for a C-Rank. There should be no way for Naruko to overcome that genjutsu."

"It could also break her spirit completely!" Kurenai hissed.

"Nai-chan, what's she seeing?" Anko asked with concern in her voice for her student.

"She's seeing the worst possible outcome of this fight." Kurenai said tightly, "Not merely winning or losing, but one where either she's crippled or worse, or she does serious harm to her friends. For someone who loves her friends like Naruko, it is quite possibly the _worst_ genjutsu to use against her."

Abruptly, Naruko looked at her gauntlet and made the Tiger Handsign. "_**KAI!**_" she yelled, sorrow evident in her voice as she cancelled the genjutsu.

Sakura was taken aback. That had been the most powerful genjutsu in her arsenal, yet Naruko had shaken it off with very little effort. She had changed so much from the incompetent loudmouth from the Academy.

Naruko slowly stood up and sent a glare at Sakura. "Sakura-chan…that was _completely_ uncalled for." she said softly.

The pinkette was stunned as Naruko seemed to vanish from her sight and reappear a foot away from of her in an instant.

"_**Ushio-Ken: **__**Takashio Shōtotsu (Tide-Fist Style: Storm Surge Collision)**_" Naruko said coldly as she struck out with her fists, striking her friend in her stomach and chest several times, before lashing out with a savage kick that sent Sakura flying to land a couple of meters away.

Sakura groaned once before falling unconscious, her last thought being, '_When I wake up, I am soooo apologising to Naruko-chan. Right after I slap her._'

"Wow." Anko remarked, "Naru-chan got _mad_."

"I'll say." Asuma said, speaking for the first time, "But she still held back enough so that Sakura was only just knocked out and no more. Controlled herself well, even when she was angry. That's a good trait for a shinobi to have."

By this time, Kiba and Akamaru had recovered from their minor electrocution and had reapplied the _**Jūjin Bunshin**_ to Akamaru.

Sasuke had concealed himself behind a group of Naruko Clones and was waiting for the opportune moment to strike. He didn't have to wait long.

"Let's show her the new jutsu we learned, Akamaru!" Kiba called to his partner as he tossed him another food pill, "_**Jūjin Taijutsu Ōgi:**_ _**Gatenga! (Man-Beast Taijutsu Ultimate Technique: Fang Rotating Fang!)**_"

The partners became flying buzz saws that sped in to assault Naruko, shredding a leaf that floating in their way like tissue paper as they did.

Rapidly running through handsigns, Naruko leapt above the two living buzz saws. "_**Suiton: **__**Hōmatsu Rappa no Jutsu! (Water Style: Foam Scattered Waves Jutsu!)**_" she said, before unleashing a mass of foamy bubbles at her foes.

Taken by surprise, the two targets of Naruko's jutsu were struck full on by it. The spinning motion of the _**Gatenga**_ should have deflected the bubbles, except they seemed unusually…sticky. They clung to Kiba and Akamaru like white on rice. Worse, they were, rather paradoxically, very _slippery_, meaning that the more bubbles that attached to Kiba and Akamaru, the less traction they had to maintain their attack.

The misconception that most ninja had about the Inuzuka Clan's _**Taijutsu**_ _**Ōgi**_ was that they required no contact with the ground. This was patently untrue, as once every twenty or so revolutions, the user had to kick at the ground in order to maintain the spin/rotation. With this damnable jutsu hitting them, the friction that usually aided them in kicking off from the ground was rapidly dwindling to nothing, meaning the _**Gatenga**_ was going to end soon, especially if Naruko kept spitting out those damn bubbles!

"That is a _very_ disgusting attack." Ino remarked idly as she cradled Naruko's sword carefully.

"It works." Anko shrugged, "She wanted a Suiton that could disable rather than kill. This one fit the bill."

"How can _**Teppōdama**_ kill?" Ino asked with a frown.

"The force of the liquid bullets can be far more deadly than a kunai or shuriken because of the sheer speed they are fire at." The Hokage replied, "I once saw a well placed _**Teppōdama**_ take someone's head off. Naruko and yourselves tone the speed down to non-lethal levels in training sessions, but it can be used to kill as well as bruise."

"Oh." was all Ino could say in response as she watched Kiba and Akamaru take a nosedive into a rapidly building pile of bubbles. Naruko abruptly ended the jutsu as Uchiha Sasuke leapt and struck at her with a kunai, attempting to cut her.

She dodged the kunai by leaping to the side and launching her own attack at him. Sasuke blocked a fair few of the blows, but his _**Bōju Ken **_had been designed for someone with an active _**Sharingan**_ to use. Without it, there were several holes in his defence that Naruko exploited, ending with her knocking the kunai from his hand and sending it flying into a tree.

Sasuke leapt back and began making more handsigns. Naruko merely made the Tiger handsign and said, "_**Doton: Doryū Taiga no Jutsu!**_"

The mud river that erupted from beneath Sasuke sent him stumbling and sliding halfway across the field, but he managed to keep making his handsigns.

"_**Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu! (Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!)**_" he shouted, unleashing a wave of small fireballs at Naruko.

Naruko smiled as she once again made the Tiger handsign. "_**Suiton: Teppōdama no Jutsu! (Water Style: Liquid Bullets Jutsu!)**_" she said as she launched a single bullet at each of the fireballs, extinguishing them and creating a cloud of steam.

{Whirr!}

A pair of shuriken came at her through the steam and Naruko sighed as she stepped to the side so they'd miss. She was therefore taken off guard when the shuriken moved to compensate from behind her and found herself wrapped up by two sets of near invisible ninja wire.

"_**Ninpo: **__**Sōshuriken no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Shuriken Manipulation Jutsu)**_!" Tenten exclaimed as the steam cleared.

Sasuke stood with a smirk, with the wire held between his teeth as he made another set of handsigns. "_**Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu! (Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!)**_" He hissed, sending a wave of searing flames down the wire to engulf Naruko.

Kiba, meanwhile, was swearing like a sailor in the background as he was trapped in the mire of foamy bubbles that Naruko had created, as was Akamaru.

"Hokage-sama, he was aiming to kill her there." Anko said dangerously. She clutched a kunai in one hand tightly as she watched her lover fight.

"Indeed." Sarutobi said with narrowed eyes, "Fortunately, Naruko avoided it completely."

"Teme, you really do have a grudge against logs don't you?" Naruko said as she strolled out of the trees to Sasuke's left. The Last Uchiha let his jutsu end and, once again, a charred log was in Naruko's place. It was, in matter of fact, the same log she had used the last time.

"How? Your hands were bound!" Sasuke snarled.

"One of my pet projects has been to master the _**Kawarimi no Jutsu **_to the point that I can use it seallessly." Naruko replied calmly, "As you can see, I mastered it, not two days ago in fact. Lucky for me, eh? -dattebayo."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "I refuse to lose to the likes of you." he snarled.

"Tough luck, Teme, cause that's _exactly_ what is gonna happen." Naruko replied.

At some unspoken signal, the two began making handsigns as rapidly as they could.

"_**Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!**_" "_**Katon: Takibi no Jutsu! (Fire Style: Bonfire Jutsu!)**_"

The two launched their jutsu at the same time, Sasuke's the large orange fireball of the Uchiha Clan's Coming of Age jutsu, while Naruko's was a deep crimson fireball that was slightly smaller than the _**Gōkakyū**_, but also shaped like a teardrop and seemed to sparkle as it erupted from Naruko's mouth.

When the two jutsu collided, they pressed against each other, almost seeming alive as they attempted to overwhelm the other jutsu. Naruko's started to push Sasuke's back slightly, and then Sasuke's regained its ground and pushed Naruko's back.

The struggle carried on for about a minute, before Sarutobi smiled slightly. "This match will go to Naruko." He said knowingly.

"Sasuke will be far too tired and low on chakra to continue fighting after his jutsu is defeated." he explained to the few people that showed incomprehension.

As if his words had triggered it, the _**Gōkakyū**_ abruptly shrank in size slightly, before being pushed back a good foot. Eyes wide, Sasuke cut the flow of chakra to his jutsu and leapt away barely in time to avoid the _**Takibi**_ impacting upon his previous location and bursting into five foot high flames.

Sasuke scowled at Naruko from where he landed in a crouch and attempted to stand up, but found he could not stand.

'_My chakra…! I've used it all!_' Sasuke realised in shock.

"This match is over!" The Hokage declared, "The winner is Uzumaki Naruko!"

Sasuke burned with shame and anger at being beaten by the lowest ranked member of his graduating class. He vowed never to let this humiliation happen again.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Timeskip - Ten minutes later**

Sakura flinched as she regained consciousness and all the pain of her body clamoured for her attention, evoking a groan from her.

"Sakura-chan?" a familiar voice called to her from a few feet away, "Ah, you have come around. Sorry about that."

"N-Naru…ko?" Sakura muttered as she cranked an eye open to see her surroundings. She was still in the clearing, but her head was laid on a cushion and her body didn't ache nearly as badly as he would have thought, considering the beating her friend had dealt to her.

Sitting not three paces away was Naruko. She was relaxed and unruffled as if she were sitting in a café or bistro rather than on the ground of a Training Field after an arduous and taxing spar. Hell, she didn't even look like she was remotely tired.

Sakura sat up abruptly, only to be struck by a wave of dizziness. A pair of hands grabbed her shoulders and steadied her.

"Whoa, easy there, Sakura-chan." Naruko said as she held the pinkette's thin shoulders, "Man, you need to eat more. I bet I could pick you up with a single arm."

"Don't you dare." Sakura threatened her darkly, merely making Naruko chuckle.

"Well then, Sakura, you'd better get on with it." Naruko said as she released her grip on Sakura.

"What?" Sakura asked blankly.

"Slapping me." Naruko replied, "I went too far when I knocked you out, so feel free."

Sakura stared at her friend for a moment before sighing and shaking her head. "Naruko, you haven't changed since we were little, have you?" she asked rhetorically. In her mind, she could see a little girl in a blue skirt and white t-shirt, with shoulder length blond hair and deep blue eyes, apologising for bumping into her on the way to the slide one day at the playground.

"I guess." Naruko replied with a shrug.

"I'm the one who has to apologise." Sakura said, "I shouldn't have used that genjutsu on you."

"It's alright." Naruko told her, "Besides, knocking you out was better than what I had planned on doing to you."

"Which was?" Sakura asked warily.

"_**Doton: Shinju Zanshu no Jutsu**_." Naruko replied.

"Oh, that? I think Kakashi-sensei used that on Sasuke-kun during our genin test." Sakura remarked, "Good thing you didn't use it on me, I _would_ have clocked you one for that."

"See why I'm kinda glad I didn't have to do it?" Naruko replied with a wide grin.

"Yeah…hey, where is everyone? And how did the match go?" Sakura asked, realising that she and Naruko were alone in the field.

"At another clearing." Naruko replied, "I volunteered to tend to you until you came to. As for the match, it was my victory."

"You…beat both Kiba _and _Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked disbelievingly. Kiba, she could believe, but Sasuke-kun was Rookie of the Year!

"Yep. I'm just that awesome -dattebayo!" Naruko grinned as she helped Sakura to her feet.

"B…But..._how_?" Sakura asked as she followed her friend through the trees at an easy walk.

"I used a Suiton Jutsu to immobilise Kiba and Akamaru." Naruko replied, "As for Sasuke-teme, I made him run out of chakra. Not surprised he ran out of juice, he used four C-Rank Katon Jutsu in the space of twenty minutes."

Sakura shook her head slowly, "How the hell did you graduate last?"

"Too much chakra to make less than thirty ordinary _**Bunshin**_." Naruko replied, "No-one suggested that I had more chakra than normal, so I didn't think of creating more than three clones. Plus, with so much chakra, my control was -still is- abysmal, so I had no chance."

"But...didn't Hokage-sama tell the staff about your chakra?" Sakura asked, confused.

"He didn't think to tell them." Naruko replied, "He didn't know that my Clan's History was illegally removed from the curriculum, so no-one knew about the high chakra reserves of the Uzumaki Clan."

"Aaarrgh." Sakura gave a small scream and pulled her hair lightly in irritation, "I don't suppose you could give me that missing part of the classes?"

She had asked more out of irritation than expectation, but Naruko unsealed a scroll from a storage seal on a wristband she wore underneath her left coat sleeve and handed it to her.

"This contains the relevant missing sections of our lessons." Naruko said with a smile. Seeing Sakura's surprise, Naruko explained, "I knew you'd want to read the part of Konoha's history that was deliberately omitted from the curriculum, so I had Ji-chan have this made for you."

Sakura was touched that Naruko had been so thoughtful as to remember her love of history. "That you, Naruko-chan." she said with a smile.

Naruko smiled back at her pink-haired friend and continued on walking. A few minutes later, the two genin-kunoichi came to another clearing where a small picnic was underway.

"Ah Naruko-chan, Sakura-chan." the Hokage greeted them from his seat on a rock, "Have a seat and tuck in before everything's gone."

Hastily, Sakura and Naruko sat down at the open space next to Ino and helped themselves to some of the excellent food arrayed before them.

Opposite them, a sulky looking Sasuke sat and chomped away at a large salad with a rather large amount of tomatoes, his favourite food. Next to him, Akamaru was happily eating a bowl of rare steak and Kiba was adding some Karaage to his plate.

Shikamaru wasn't eating, evidently finding picnics troublesome, and was snoozing under a nearby tree. Choji was eating with such speed that no one could see what he was eating. Shino was rather daintily eating some dango alongside Anko.

Tenten grinned and nodded at Naruko when she arrived before biting into a sandwich. Neji contented himself with sipping at a cup of sencha, while Lee was adding some sushi to his plate.

Ino was eating more than usual, thanks to some serious talks she had had with Kurenai and Anko two weeks ago, and she was far more energetic in training as a result. Hinata was eating a cinnamon bun with great enjoyment.

Ami and her flunkeys were eating some crisps from what Naruko could see and were steadfastly ignoring Naruko.

The rest of the Jonin were sipping at some sake, although Kakashi was never seen to actually drink any.

Eventually, the food was consumed and everyone was sitting in (relative) contentment. The Sandaime cleared his throat as he turned to Naruko.

"Ahem. Now, regarding the match. Naruko, what did you do wrong?" he asked her, to everyone's surprise.

Naruko sighed. "Firstly, I let the opposing team set the pace for almost the entire battle, thus forfeited the initiative.

Secondly, I lost control of my temper after being subjected to that genjutsu.

Thirdly, I became complacent and arrogant after defeating Sakura and Kiba, thus allowing Sasuke to lend an attack combination that could have dealt serious damage to me had I not mastered the Kawarimi no Jutsu to the point of not needing seals.

Finally, I let pride get in the way and chose to match Sasuke fire jutsu for fire jutsu, rather than dodge and defeat him in close combat."

Sarutobi nodded. "All valid and true. Now, what did your opponents do wrong?" he asked.

Naruko threw an apologetic glance to Sakura before she spoke, "They attacked separately, rather than as a team. They could have defeated me if they had co-ordinated their attacks, but they didn't."

Kakashi looked indignant at this, but was hushed before he could speak.

"They were also too specialised," Naruko continued, "Kiba only used taijutsu, albeit enhanced with his Clan's nin-taijutsu bent, Sasuke used a style that he can't use to it's fullest extent because it requires an active _**Sharingan**_ and, other than a few exceptions, only used ninjutsu, while Sakura-chan only used genjutsu and the _**Hakage**_ style.

Because of their disparity in skills, I was able to defeat Kiba and Sakura with skills that countered their own. It was only because I cannot use genjutsu that I did not defeat Sasuke similarly."

Sarutobi nodded gravely. "Are those the only mistakes they made?" he asked her.

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Naruko said firmly. A small conversation seemed to pass between the two as they locked gazes, but Sarutobi eventually sighed and nodded.

"Very well then." Sarutobi turned to Kakashi, "Well Kakashi, it seems you won't be removed as Team 7's Jonin-sensei after all, although I hereby order you to improve their teamwork and broaden their skills, so they are not defeated in detail as they were today."

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Kakashi bowed slightly in gratitude.

"As for you, Naruko-chan, here is your payment for a B-Rank mission completed with distinction." Sarutobi said genially as he passed her a couple of scrolls.

"Arigato, Ji-chan!" Naruko beamed at her grandfather figure. Today rocked! She got more jutsu scrolls and got to beat up Sasuke-teme!

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Timeskip - Three Hours Later**

**Dining Room, Uzumaki Clan Estate**

"So, what was your reward for completing the mission, Gaki?" Anko asked curiously. Team 8 was sat around the table and eating a special treat that Naruko had splurged on: Momiji-Nabe (Venison Nabe). The hotpot was full to the brim with venison, burdock, shiitake mushrooms, negi, konnyaku, tofu and a few green vegetables, all cooked in a miso broth.

Anko had outdone herself with the cooking here and Naruko planned to give her a surprise when they next had on of their 'private lessons' as a thank you.

"Do you remember two years ago, three Taki kunoichi were turned in for interrogation by Kakashi-sensei?" Naruko asked.

"Oh yeah, those three." Anko shrugged, "Meh, they squealed like pigs after a few minutes. What about them?"

"They were caught after they tried to kill Iruka-sensei and me." Naruko replied, "Anyway, they used two interesting jutsu: _**Katon Renkeijutsu: Karura (Fire Style Synergy Jutsu: Garuda)**_ and _**Ninpo: Gen'ei Tajū Shuriken no Jutsu**_ _**(Ninja Art: Multiple Phantom Shuriken Jutsu)**_.

Ji-chan gave those to me, along with three other jutsu: _**Doton: Doro Kawara no Jutsu (Earth Style: Mud Tile Jutsu)**_, _**Ninpo: Kawara Shuriken no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Tile Shuriken Jutsu)**_ and _**Ninpo: Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu)**_."

"I know of the two jutsu the kunoichi used." Kurenai said with a frown, "They're collaboration jutsu, meant to be used by multiple users."

"The beauty of Shadow Clones." Naruko said beatifically.

"Man, imagine using both of those Shuriken replication jutsu at the same time!" Anko said, drooling slightly at the thought.

"Whereas I'm still working on mastering _**Katon: Endan**_." Ino said, slightly depressed. She and Hinata had mastered _**Teppōdama**_ last week, and had moved on to their other element. Ino was learning _**Endan**_, while Hinata was working on _**Futon: Reppūshō**_, with varying degrees of success.

"Aw, c'mon Ino-chan." Naruko said encouragingly, "You and Hinata mastered _**Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu**_ in a few days. _That_ was impressive.__And something I'll never be able to do."

"Naru-chan here's right." Anko said as she tousled Naruko's hair, to the blonds' vocal objections, "Each of you have your strengths and weaknesses. Gaki here can't use genjutsu at all; Flower Girl over there has pretty small stamina reserves, while the quiet one there needs a kick in the pants to be aggressive."

Ino glared half-heartedly at Anko but was forced to concede the point. She was in OK physical condition, but nothing to write home about. She got tired far too quickly for a kunoichi, so she was doing physical exercise drills in training, when not practicing her ninjutsu.

Hinata had received a priceless gift from her father three weeks ago: the altered version of the _**Juken**_ created by her mother, the _**Jūho**_, and had thrown herself into learning and mastering it. The results had been…impressive, to say the least. The _**Jūho**_ katas fit her in a way the _**Juken **_never had and, for the first time in her life, Hinata actually excelled at her taijutsu, steadily and swiftly mastering each kata and stance before advancing to the next.

Naruko had been helping her by making a small army of Shadow Clones to act as living test dummies for her. Hyuuga Kō, Hinata's personal bodyguard when she was younger, watched his mistress's progress with a critical eye, but had told Kurenai in confidence that she was already at the level where she would be taught the _**Hakke Sanjūni Shō**_, which she already knew.

"Enough serious talk!" Anko said firmly, "This is a party to celebrate both Naru-chan here's victory over Bakashi's Team _and_ Nai-chan's apartment getting fixed up from that flooding damage a month ago!"

"The landlord evicted the man responsible." Kurenai mused, "He was _not_ happy."

"I'll bet." Ino snorted, "Why'd it take so long to fix up anyway?"

"I took the opportunity to have a few minor repairs I had been putting off done, as well as having the place repainted." Kurenai told her.

"Hey, Hinata! No poaching the meat!" Anko protested.

"F-First come, first s-served, Anko-sensei." Hinata replied.

"Grrr!"

"Oh boy." Kurenai muttered as Anko squabbled with the Hyuuga Heiress over the delectable well-cooked venison, "I can't wait to move back out again."

'_Neither can I._' Anko and Naruko thought simultaneously. They had been forced to limit their nightly trysts with each other and the new guards to the weekend, when the Hokage obligingly sent Kurenai out on an A-Rank mission that suited her and Hinata and Ino returned to their respective Clans for training and to fulfil their responsibilities as the heiresses.

With Kurenai _gone_ however, Naruko and Anko could get in some nightly practice thanks to some useful Silencing Seals and Byakugan Obscuring Seals Naruko had found in her studies of her family library.

Yes, Naruko had graduated from calligraphy practice with Iruka to careful creation of Storage Seals and Explosive Tags. After a few minor accidents (read: premature detonations and destroyed practice sealing items), Sarutobi had approved her qualifications as a beginner-level Seal Master and immediately put in a standing order of seventy Explosive Tags a month.

From there, she had focussed on getting her first order done and then studying her family scrolls for more seals that might be useful. Several caught her eye, but the one that her Ji-chan wanted was still beyond her abilities for the moment, so she needed to find seals that would allow her to practice more complicated seals and didn't have nasty consequences if they went wrong.

Fortunately, these two seals fit both criteria and Naruko had begun practicing them a week ago in secret, and was almost ready to attempt a live practice with chakra-infused ink.

Once she had perfected the seals, Naruko knew she would be _really_ enjoying her nights.

**NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

**Same Time**

**Hokage's Office**

Sarutobi frowned as he reviewed the mission request in front of him. It was a C-Rank Mission Request from a village in the far south of Hi no Kuni, Morimura, requesting a team to locate and rescue some kidnapped villagers and deal with whomsoever was kidnapping them, presumed to be bandits.

This was not an unusual request. Sarutobi had issued hundreds of similar missions to genin teams over the years. Something about this particular location, however, bothered him.

The area where Morimura was located was deep in a forest, not in itself unusual in Hi no Kuni, but this forest had a bad reputation. Starting about five years ago, mysterious disappearances had begun being reported by the villages on the outskirts of the forest. A squad of the Fire Daimyo's samurai had gone missing after being seen entering the forest.

Even some ninja had gone missing in or around that forest. A chunin team had vanished in the area two years ago and no one could find a single trace of them. Either they had gone Nuke-nin with stealth skills equivalent to Uchiha Itachi's, or they had been abducted by someone skilled enough to both overpower the four chunin in an ambush/straight out fight _and_ thoroughly erase any trace of the battle and the presence of the chunin.

Very troubling.

The Sandaime Hokage was not a person given to flights of fancy. Nor did he like it when his ninja were kidnapped and possibly killed. This area _had_ to be investigated, but he couldn't storm in like a bull in a china shop. The best plan would be to use this mission request as a cover and have them shadowed by a team or two of ANBU.

Which begged the question, which team to use? Team 7 was out. Sasuke wouldn't know subtlety if it poked him in the eye and Kiba was just…no, not suitable for this mission.

Team 9, or Team Gai as most people called them, was not suited either. Both Gai and his doppelganger Rock Lee stood out too much and Neji was…unsociable to put it politely.

Team 10 was…not ready yet. Granted, Shikamaru was a genius in a Clan of geniuses and Shino was no slouch either. Choji would no doubt follow his childhood friend's lead in matters. The problem was they lacked the edge that was required to make this mission a success.

This left…Team 8. Two experienced Jonin-level kunoichi, a Hyuuga to warn of ambushes and locate the kidnapped people, a Yamanaka to interrogate anyone they found and Uzumaki Naruko to act as the shield of the team with her one-woman army of Shadow Clones.

Sarutobi sighed and massaged his temples. '_Buck up, Sarutobi!_' he chided himself, '_You knew that you'd have to send her into danger sooner or later once she became a ninja!_'

He was having a hard time following his own advice. He had spent the last twelve years doing his utmost to try to protect Naruko and old habits died hard.

'_She'll be fine._' he tried to convince himself, '_I'll have her team shadowed by two teams of ANBU. Besides, Naruko has gotten stronger than I would have thought possible. She will not allow her team to be harmed and vice versa._'

Sarutobi reached for the sake. He found himself in accord with his only female student at the moment. Sometimes, you had to get absolutely smashed in order to get over things, and this was very high quality sake, so he estimated total inebriation in twenty minutes if he paced himself.

He really hated his job. He just had to hope he was making the correct decision.

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**Next Chapter: C-Rank to Morimura**

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**Jutsu Lexicon**

**Any jutsu with it's name Emboldened is one I have made.**

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Kaze Shunshin - Wind Body Flicker

Rank: D

Type: _Supplementary_

Effect: _A variant of the basic Shunshin no Jutsu that uses wind to obscure the movement during the departure and arrival of the user. Rarely used as very few shinobi can create enough wind to completely obscure themselves without using far too much chakra._

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Bōju Ken - Intercepting Fist

Rank: N/A

Type: _Taijutsu Style, Offensive/Defensive_

Effect: _The Clan Taijutsu Style of the Uchiha Clan. Designed to be used with their active Dōjutsu, the Sharingan, this style basically holds the enemy at b ay long enough for the user to use their Sharingan's copying ability to copy their opponent's taijutsu style and use it against them._

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Jūjin Taijutsu - Beast-Human Taijutsu

Rank: N/A

Type: _Taijutsu Style, Offensive_

Effect: _The Clan Taijutsu Style of the Inuzuka Clan. Designed to mimic the biting and scratching of a feral beast, this style can be enhanced greatly by fighting alongside a ninken partner. Based around rapid hit-and-run attacks, leaving the enemy unable to counterattack._

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Gijū Ninpō: Shikyaku no Jutsu - Beast Mimicry Ninja Art: Four Legs Jutsu

Rank: D

Type: _Supplementary, Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Inuzuka Clan Jutsu_

Effect: _A jutsu designed to enhance the fighting style of the user. This jutsu grants animal-like reflexes and speed to the user by enveloping the user's body with chakra. A side effect is that the user's appearance becomes more feral when this jutsu is in use, often useful for intimidation._

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**Ushio-Ken: Engetsugeri - Tide-Fist Style: Circle Moon Kick**

Rank: C

Type: _Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, Offensive_

Effect: _The user, whilst in midair, uses the spinning principle of the Inuzuka's Tsūga Jutsu in order to rapidly rotate in place, increasing the force of the resulting kicks by adding centrifugal force to the user's own muscle strength._

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Henge no Jutsu - Transformation Jutsu

Rank: E

Type: _Ninjutsu, Supplementary_

Effect: _An Academy-level Jutsu that creates an illusion that alters the user's appearance. A single half-decent hit can dispel this jutsu though. Widely used for infiltration and subterfuge missions._

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Gijū Ninpō: Jūjin Bunshin no Jutsu - Beast Imitation Ninja Art: Beast Clone Jutsu

Rank: D

Type: _Ninjutsu, Supplementary, Inuzuka Clan Jutsu_

Effect: _A combination of the Bunshin no Jutsu and the Henge no jutsu used by the Inuzuka Clan. This Jutsu transforms the user's ninken partner in an exact, albeit feral, duplicate of the user. If the user is also using the Shikyaku no Jutsu as well, the two are indistinguishable due to both appearing feral. Required for the stronger Taijutsu attacks of the Inuzuka Clan._

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Jūjin Taijutsu Ōgi: Gatsūga - Man-Beast Taijutsu Ultimate Technique: Fang Over Fang

Rank: C

Type: _Collaboration Jutsu, Taijutsu, Inuzuka Clan Jutsu_

Effect: _A double version of the basic Tsūga. This jutsu requires the user to co-operate with their ninken partner in order to batter the enemy with twinned tornados of bestial attacks strong enough to drill through stone._

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Raiton: Jibashi - Lightning Style: Earth Flash

Rank: Varies

Type: _Ninjutsu, Offensive_

Effect: _The user unleashes a wave of lightning that arcs from their hands and strikes the enemy. The strength of the jutsu depends entirely on the user and can vary between a slight shock to numb an arm and a blast strong enough to rip through solid rock. Ideal for combination attack with a water jutsu._

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**Magen: ****Hametsunokyōi no Jutsu - Demonic Illusion: Portent of Doom Jutsu**

Rank: High-C

Type: _Genjutsu, Supplementary_

Effect: _A rather sadistic genjutsu developed in Numa no Kuni (Swamp Country); this jutsu uses the target's own imagination and fears against them and shows them what they would consider to be the absolute worst outcome of the current fight to be. Extremely traumatising, this jutsu was copied by ANBU Captain Hatake Kakashi after he used his Sharingan to defeat it._

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**Ushio-Ken: ****Takashio Shōtotsu - Tide-Fist Style: Storm Surge Collision**

Rank: High-C

Type: _Taijutsu_

Effect: _A brutal attack relying on purely physical abilities. The user batters the target with a relentless stream of punches, as if the target were caught by the hands of a violent storm. The user then deals the final blow, a simple straight kick, to send the target flying away from them._

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Jūjin Taijutsu Ōgi: Gatenga - Man-Beast Taijutsu Ultimate Technique: Fang Rotating Fang

Rank: High-C

Type: _Collaboration Jutsu, Taijutsu_

Effect: _The second __Ōgi in the Inuzuka arsenal, the Gatenga is the collaboration version of the Tenga. Both the user and his ninken partner spin into a pair of buzz saws that can cut though steel._

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Suiton: Hōmatsu Rappa no Jutsu - Water Style: Foam Scattered Waves Jutsu

Rank: C

Type: _Ninjutsu, Offensive, Supplementary_

Effect: _The user spits out large waves of foamy bubbles that are extremely slippery and reduce friction on anything they touch. Very effective at countering Katon Jutsu._

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Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu - Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu

Rank: C

Type: _Ninjutsu, Offensive_

Effect: _The user spits out a volley of small fireballs towards the enemy. While it can cause damage, this jutsu is usually used as a distraction._

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Ninpo: Sōshuriken no Jutsu - Ninja Art: Shuriken Manipulation Jutsu

Rank: D

Type: _Shurikenjutsu, Ninjutsu, Supplementary_

Effect: _By attaching a long, thin and elastic ninja wire to shuriken, the user can alter their flight path in mid-air. An experienced user of this jutsu can do so with the smallest twitch of a fingertip. With experience, the tactics one can perform with this Jutsu are almost endless._

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Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu - Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu

Rank: C

Type: _Offensive, Ninjutsu_

Effect: _The user breaths fire down a cord or wire connected to the target and engulfs him or her in flames. The flames are acting like a projectile weapon in this jutsu and move at a speed equivalent to a well-thrown shuriken._

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**Katon: Takibi no Jutsu - Fire Style: Bonfire Jutsu**

Rank: Mid-C

Type: _Ninjutsu, Offensive_

Effect: _The user fires a compressed fireball shaped like a large teardrop at the enemy. The colour of the flame varies from user to user. The flames of this technique are very bright and are very hard to put out with water._

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End file.
